基于电控微流体液态金属的频率可重构天线的性能提升和集成的研究

The frequency-reconfigurable antenna based on electrically-controlled microfluidic liquid metal uses only the DC bias to change shape of the liquid metal in an antenna. This type of antennas has a larger tunable frequency range and higher linearity, providing new techniques for design of reconfigurable antennas. However, this type of antennas is limited by the lower antenna efficiency, slower switching speed, requirement of extra bias power consumption, system control and packaging issues, limiting the practical applications of electrically-controlled liquid metal reconfigurable antennas. Therefore, this project aims at investigating the diversified performance of the antenna based on electrically controlled microfluidic liquid metal, such as optimization of antenna parameters, frequency control, integration and packaging. This project first investigates the balance and optimization of three important parameters-antenna efficiency, switching speed and bias power for the microfluidic liquid metal antenna. Then, a frequency adaptive control network based on the electrical actuation of liquid metal is developed to change operation states of the antenna in response to changes in the communication environment. Finally, the issues of integration and packaging of liquid metal antenna in portable or mobile devices are solved. This project will achieve the innovation of the liquid metal antenna behavioral model, frequency adaptive control and microfluidic channel design, which would advance application of liquid metal in the field of mobile communications and other civil or military platforms.

基于电控微流体液态金属的频率可重构天线仅使用直流偏置改变液态金属在天线中的形态，具有较大的频率调节范围和较高的线性度，为可重构天线的发展提供新思路。然而，这类天线面临液态系统导致的天线效率低、切换速度慢、需要额外的偏置功耗以及来自系统控制和封装等方面的难题，限制了电控液态金属可重构天线的实际应用。因此，本课题旨在对基于电控微流体液态金属的频率可重构天线进行天线参数优化、频率控制和集成封装等多样化性能的深入研究。重点探索电控微流体液态金属天线在天线效率、切换速度和偏置功率三个重要参数间的平衡和优化，利用电控机制实现频率自适应控制网络以解决天线在通信环境变化时的响应问题，实现液态金属天线在移动终端内的集成封装等方面的难题。本课题将最终实现电控液态金属天线在天线参数行为模型、频率自适应控制以及微流体通道设计等方面的理论和技术创新，推进液态金属天线在移动通信领域和其他军民用平台的灵活应用。

基于电控微流体液态金属的频率可重构天线仅使用直流偏置改变液态金属在天线中的形态，具有较大的频率调节范围和较高的线性度，为可重构天线的发展提供新思路。本项目针对这类液态天线系统在天线效率、切换速度、可重构机制以及来自系统控制和封装等方面的难题展开研究，进一步拓展了液态金属在不同场景中天线的实际应用。本课题对基于微流体液态金属的频率可重构天线进行天线参数模型建立、与新工艺技术结合集成封装、天线拓扑结构优化等多样化性能的深入研究。重点探索微流体液态金属天线在天线效率、切换速度和偏置功率三个重要参数间的平衡和优化，建立了天线行为模型描述关键的变量对三者的相互影响，该模型参数的分析可应用到其他基于液态金属的微波/射频元件等；利用新型的工艺和封装技术路线，如3D打印技术、柔性软光刻技术等，解决微流体液态金属在柔性共形可重构天线中的集成和封装难题，并拓展了液态金属天线在柔性天线和可穿戴天线等场景中的应用，推进液态金属天线在移动通信领域和其他军民用平台的灵活应用。受本项目资助，相关研究成果发表在国内外学术期刊和重要会议，共计发表SCI收录论文4篇，培养博士和硕士研究生3名，本项目相关学术论文被引用50余次。