A 2.45 GHz Polar Vector Modulator Phase Shifter With Varactor Diode-Based Amplitude Control Capability for Energy-Efficient Systems
Arruela, R.
;
Varum, T.
;
Matos, J. N.
IEEE Microwave and Wireless Technology Letters Vol. 35, Nº 8, pp. 1150 - 1153, August, 2025.
ISSN (print): 2771-957X
ISSN (online): 2771-9588
Scimago Journal Ranking: 1,04 (in 2024)
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/LMWT.2025.3566483
Abstract
This letter presents a varactor-based polar vector modulator phase shifter (Polar-VMPS) with amplitude control capability. The proposed design combines a single control voltage varactor-based balanced biphase variable attenuator and a 180° reflection-type phase shifter (RTPS) in a cascaded configuration. Measured results demonstrate a 360° phase shift range, an amplitude control range exceeding 20 dB, an insertion loss of 3.6 dB, a return loss better than 23.6 dB, a root-mean-square (rms) phase error of 0.75°, and an rms gain error of 0.02 dB at 2.45 GHz. With zero dc power consumption and the potential to reuse attenuated energy, this VMPS provides an energy-efficient alternative to p-i-n diode and transistor-based designs. These features make it well suited for energy-efficient systems, including phased array antennas (PAAs) for wireless power transfer (WPT) and battery-powered devices.