Design of a High-Average-Power Ferroelectric Phase Shifter

This paper describes performance of a voltage controlled phase shifter designed for a high average power and a high figure of merit. The device is a reflection-type, resonant phase shifter that utilizes ferroelectric capacitors and impedance matching to the port impedance. With state-of-the-art ferroelectric materials, the device achieves a high Figure of Merit of nearly a thousand degrees phase shift per dB insertion loss at 800 MHz, along with sub-microsecond response. This phase shifter is capable of handling average power up to a megawatt. Its application is expected to enhance the electrical efficiency of particle accelerators, reducing both capital and operating costs.