Dielectric Characterization of Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal in Microwave Range – Material Integration in Specific Electronic Devices

Abstract

We present an original way to obtain reconfigurable microwave devices, filled with a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). We study the dielectric parameters of the material in the microwave range, using an original cell. Then, we manufacture a microwave tunable device using the PDLC.

The purpose of our work is to cancel the polymer alignment layer used in microwave devices filled with pure liquid crystals. Actually, the difference in thickness between metallic parts and non-metallic parts of some specific microwave devices do not allow this polymer alignment layer deposit.

Keywords:

• Dielectric characterization
• liquid crystal
• microwave
• polymer
• tunable device

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the “Plan Pluri-Formation : micro- and nano-dispersions à base de cristaux liquides pour applications en micro-onde et optoélectronique”.

Thanks are due to “N. Verbrugghe, Plateforme de Technologie de l'Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale”, for obtaining microwave designs and circuits.

We thank E. André, D. Cauldfield-Vermersch and A.F. McPhail for reviewing this paper.