Propagation of longitudinal leaky surface waves under periodic SiO (2)/Al structure on Li(2)B(4)O(7) substrate

The properties of longitudinal leaky surface waves (LLSW) under a periodic SiO(2)/Al structure on Li(2)B(4)O (7) (LBO) substrate, were investigated theoretically and experimentally, in order to improve the high propagation losses of LLSWs under a periodic Al grating with the normalized thickness over 2%. In the theoretical analysis, the previously presented method based on the boundary integral equations for the periodic metal grating structure on the substrate was extended to include the dielectric layer. In the experiments, devices with Al electrodes recessed into a SiO(2) groove on LBO were fabricated, and the propagation losses of them were estimated. As a result, it was shown that, when the surface of the structure was flattened, the propagation losses were sufficiently low and the first Bragg stopband width decreased.     

Optimal cuts of langasite, La3Ga5SiO14 for SAW devices

The results of a theoretical and experimental investigation of the SAW propagation characteristics in an optimal region of langasite defined by the Euler angles φ from -15° to +10°, &thetas; from 120° to 165°, and ψ from 20° to 45° are presented. Based on temperature coefficients of the elastic constants derived from experimental data, some optimal orientations of langasite characterized by high electromechanical coupling factor (k²), zero power flow angle (PFA) and low or zero temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) were found. The SAW velocity in the region of interest is highly anisotropic; this results in a significant amount of diffraction, which must be taken into account in the search for orientations useful for SAW devices. An orientation having simultaneously zero PFA, zero TCF, negligible diffraction, and relatively high piezoelectric coupling has been found and verified experimentally. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the calculated SAW characteristics. The frequency response of a SAW device fabricated on the optimal cut of langasite is presented and demonstrates that high performance SAW filters can be realized on this optimal cut of langasite     

High temperature stable GHz-range low-loss wide band transducersand filter using SiO2/LiNbO3, LiTaO3

GHz-range low-loss transducers and filters are required for communication systems, especially mobile telephone communication systems. Many types of low insertion-loss transducers and filters utilizing the high electromechanical coupling coefficient (K²) materials such as LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ have been developed. Unfortunately, these materials have large temperature coefficients of the frequency (TCF). In this paper, SAW substrates with high coupling coefficients and low propagation attenuations and small temperature coefficient of frequency in the GHz-range are theoretically and experimentally investigated. The experimental results show very low propagation loss of 0.02 dB/λ ₀ and larger K² than those of the substrates of LiNbO₃ and LiTaO₃ at the TCF of below -5 ppm/°C at 1~2 GHz-range. The low-loss filter results using internal reflection types of IDT show the insertion loss of about 2.9 dB at 1 GHz and 4.9 dB at 2 GHz under the TCF's of 0 and +20 ppm/°C. These materials are applicable for devices at GHz-range because SiO₂ thickness is very thin such as below 1 μm and the center frequency shift of the filter versus SiO₂ thickness is very small     

声表面波器件的研究进展

声表面波器件作为一种新型的电子器件,近年来引起了人们极大的关注,在科学研究领域有了较大的进展,在现代无线通讯领域的应用范围日趋广泛.本文简述了目前国际上出现的声表面波器件的制备方法、性能研究及其应用,展望了其今后的发展趋势.     

Gigahertz range resonant devices for oscillator applications using shear horizontal acoustic waves

It is shown that surface transverse wave (STW) resonant devices are not only very well suited for stable oscillator applications but have some unique features offering greater design flexibility than their surface acoustic wave (SAW) counterparts. Various designs for single- and multimode resonators and resonator filters are presented, and their properties in respect to applications in stable fundamental-mode fixed-frequency and voltage-controlled oscillators in the range of 750 MHz to 2 GHz are discussed. Characteristics of SAW and STW two-port metal strip resonators using identical designs are compared. Data from frequency trimming on STW resonators, using heavy ion bombardment, are presented.     

Miniaturized SAW filters using a flip-chip technique

This paper describes a miniature surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter, 3.2×2.5×0.9 mm³, which is applicable for radio frequency (RF) stage filters in mobile phones. The SAW filter is reduced in size by using a flip-chip assembly technique. The technique uses gold bumps on the SAW chip and gold-gold thermosonic face-down bonding. The gold bumps are formed onto the wafer by a conventional wire bonding machine using gold wire. The thermosonic face-down bonding enables the connection of gold bumps on the SAW chip, with gold metallized pads, on a ceramic package at a temperature below 200°C. This bonding ensures that the SAW chip is fixed mechanically, and connected electrically, with the package. Frequency responses of a 950-MHz flip-chip SAW filter are compared with responses of a SAW filter with a conventional package. The results of reliability tests for flip-chip SAW filters are shown     

Rigorous treatment of leaky SAWs and new equivalent circuitrepresentation for interdigital transducers

Leaky surface acoustic wave (SAW) interdigital transducers (LDTs) formed on 36° YX-LiTaO₃ and 41° and 64° YX-LiNbO ₃ are theoretically analyzed, and a new equivalent circuit representation is proposed. The influence of the attenuation constant due to leakage as well as conductance caused by bulk wave radiation are taken into account. A new treatment based on an integral equation approach provides all circuit parameters. Fundamental experiments show fairly good agreement between theoretical and experimental results, confirming that this treatment provides very accurate tools for designing leaky-SAW devices     

Overtone Oscillator for SAW Gas Detectors

A design of an overtone oscillator a with surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) resonator is described in this paper. The circuit works stably on the frequency 4.710 GHz (29th harmonic of loaded resonator) at about the -2 dBm level. In the construction, distributed-constant circuits have been applied. Commercially available SAW sensors usually work within the range of frequency from a few dozen to a few hundred megahertz. On the other hand, it is a well-known fact that the mass sensitivity of such devices is directly proportional to the square of its operating frequency, and SAW sensors for organic vapors, for instance, are usually mass sensitive. For this reason, an increase in the SAW sensors' operating frequency seems to be useful. The circuit described in this paper shows the possibility of a dramatic rise in SAW operating frequency by exerting its operation through a specific high overtone (harmonic frequency) of the SAW resonator. The overtone frequency in such a solution then plays the role of basic mode. The oscillator proposed in this paper seems to be a good tool for chemisensitive-SAW-coating investigation     

A simple equivalent circuit for interdigital transducers based on the coupled-mode approach

The coupled-mode approach is a powerful tool for analyzing surface acoustic wave (SAW) periodic structures such as reflectors and interdigital transducers. The relations among the terminal quantities at two acoustical ports and one electrical port of an interdigital transducer (IDT) are derived from coupled-mode equations. A simple distributed-parameter equivalent circuit representing the entire IDT is proposed. A few examples of applications of this equivalent circuit to analysis of SAW devices are presented.     

SAW devices for consumer communication applications

An overview of surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter techniques available for different applications is given. Techniques for TV IF applications are outlined, and typical structures are presented. This is followed by a discussion of applications for SAW resonators. Low-loss devices for mobile communication systems and pager applications are examined. Tapped delay lines (matched filters) and convolvers for code-division multiaccess (CDMA) systems are also covered. Although simulation procedures are not considered, for many devices the theoretical frequency response is presented along with the measurement curve.     

SAW ring filters with insertion loss of 1 dB

This paper presents low loss ring SAW filters on 49°YX, 64°YX, 128°YX LiNbO₃ with reflective multistrip couplers (RMSCs). Using the RMSCs with 3 electrodes per λ (λ is the SAW wavelength at the center frequency) and the self-matching approach, when the static capacitance of the IDT is compensated by the acoustic radiation susceptance, the ring filters have shown very low insertion loss of 0.8-1 dB, 3-dB fractional bandwidth of 2-5% with very low ripple of 0.1 dB, stopband attenuation over 50 dB at 10-33% offset from the center frequency of 45 MHz. In a 50 ohm system, 148, 164, 172 MHz ring filters on 128°YX for low power transceivers have provided an insertion loss of 1 dB, 1 dB bandwidth of 1.8-2 MHz, stopband attenuation over 55 dB at ±25 MHz offset from the center frequency. Two cascaded filters at 164.5 MHz have shown insertion losses below 3 dB and stopband attenuation over 90 dB at ±25 MHz, offset from the center frequency. The chip size is 5×4×0.7 mm     

Design methodology and experimental results for new ladder-type SAWresonator coupled filters

Design methodology and experimental results for a new type of SAW filter called an “extended SAW resonator coupled filter” used in 800 MHz and 0.6 to 1.0 watt cellular radios are presented. The new filters have very small nonlinearities as well as high-performance and high-power characteristics. We have proposed a new equivalent circuit model for IDTs with leaky SAWs, which includes the propagation losses due to leakage and conductances caused by bulkwave radiation. Synthesis procedures for the new SAW filters based on the new treatments of leaky SAWs are discussed, and simulation and experimental results are also given. The new filters satisfy not only the required frequency-response specifications but also the spurious response sensitivity for an antenna duplexer used in USA cellular radio     

Extended investigation on high velocity pseudo surface waves

Recent communication equipment such as mobile and cellular phones, radio systems, pagers, LANs, have demanded high performance components. Among these components, the last generation of SAW filters and signal processing devices, presenting low loss, flexible frequency and phase response characteristics, control of spurious, and so forth, have played a major role in designing new equipment and redesigning existing systems. The highest frequency obtainable with SAW technology in practical devices is limited to a couple of GHz, usually due to restrictions in the fabrication process involved and SAW propagation characteristics. The pseudo-SAW and the shear horizontal mode, presenting phase velocities circa 40% superior than the SAW and low attenuation along certain directions, have permitted the construction of devices operating at higher frequencies. The high velocity pseudo-SAW, with phase velocities about 100% higher than the SAW and low attenuation in many materials along certain directions, extends the high operating limit of SAW devices even further. In this paper the major characteristics of this new type of wave are reviewed. Extended topics such as: the boundary function magnitude behavior, the relationship between the "growing tilted bulk-like partial waves" and the bulk slowness, the number of roots (uncoupling of modes), and the Poynting vector behavior with depth are explored, enlightening the solution and behavior of this new type of high velocity pseudo-SAW.     

Harmonic GHz surface-acoustic-wave filters with unidirectional transducers

The fabrication of fundamental-mode surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) filters for gigahertz frequencies requires an elaborate photolithographic process. In order to reduce process demands or to increase the possible frequency range, interdigital transducers can be designed to work on spatial harmonics. However, harmonic filters are known to be unattractive because of their high insertion loss. It is shown that harmonic gigahertz filters made with unidirectional transducers can have moderate insertion loss. Two third-harmonic filters at 1.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz, using two-phase unidirectional transducers, are described. A simple model for calculating the input impedance of harmonic surface-transverse-wave (STW) transducers is presented.     

Synthesis and surface acoustic wave properties of AlN films deposited on LiNbO3 substrates

The c-axis-oriented aluminum nitride (AlN) films were deposited on z-cut lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) substrates by reactive RF magnetron sputtering. The crystalline orientation of the AlN film determined by x-ray diffraction (XRD) was found to be dependent on the deposition conditions such as substrate temperature, N₂ concentration, and sputtering pressure. Highly c-axis-oriented AlN films to fabricate the AlN/LiNbO₃-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices were obtained under a sputtering pressure of 3.5 mTorr, N₂ concentration of 60%, RF power of 165 W, and substrate temperature of 400°C. A dense pebble-like surface texture of c-axis-oriented AlN film was obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The phase velocity and the electromechanical coupling coefficient (K²) of SAW were measured to be about 4200 m/s and 1.5%, respectively. The temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) of SAW was calculated to be about -66 ppm/°C     

A theoretical and experimental study of waveguide coupled SAWresonator filters

The coupling-of-modes (COM) formalism is extended to include coupled transducers and applied to the modelling of surface acoustic wave (SAW) coupled resonator filters. The models do not require the derivation of equivalent circuits and they accommodate finger reflections, electromagnetic feedthrough and external matching circuits. Frequency responses for waveguide-coupled devices are computed and compared to experimental results. Longitudinal mode profiles within the resonant cavities are presented     

Surface acoustic wave sensors incorporating Langmuir-Blodgett films

Acoustoelectric devices offer many attractive features for applications as physical and chemical sensors. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) oscillators are of particular importance owing to their high sensitivity. This paper describes the use of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films as gas absorbent layers on the surface of SAW devices.

Areal densities of standard LB film forming materials were measured and found to agree with those obtained from pressure-area isotherms. Sensors incorporating ω-tricosenoic acid and docosylamine overlayers were examined and their responses to alkanoic acids reported.

The room temperature chemiresponse of a SAW device coated with monolayers of tetra-4-tert butyl silicon phthalocyanine dichloride showed response and recovery times comparable with those reported for other phthalocyanine-based sensors operated at much higher temperatures. The detection limit of the LB film device was found to be 40 ppb NO₂ in dry air at an operating frequency of 98.6 MHz and an ambient temperature of 22°C. The frequency change was shown to be entirely due to the mass of gas absorbed by the film.     

Improved equivalent circuits for complementary split-ring resonator-based high-pass filter with C-shaped couplings

The authors modify the complementary split-ring resonator (CSRR) with dual C-shaped couplings for high-pass filter (HPF) design and propose improved equivalent circuits as a means to analyse the filter. The p-type circuit of the dual C-shaped coupling in the CSRR-based HPF is presented to have the improved equivalent circuit in contrast to the conventional equivalent circuit. At 3 dB, the cut-off frequency f _{? 1.74 GHz, the maximum IL is within 0.33 dB up to 8 GHz and the 65.81 dB rejection extends down to 0.53 GHz. Simulation and measurement results including surface current distributions and frequency responses are presented and discussed.}     

Applicability of LiNbO3, langasite and GaPO4 in high temperature SAW sensors operating at radio frequencies

The applicability of LiNbO3, langasite and GaPO4 for use as crystal substrates in high temperature surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors operating at radio frequencies was investigated. Material properties were determined by the use of SAW test devices processed with conventional lithography. On GaPO4, predominantly surface defects limit the accessible frequencies to values of 1 GHz. Langasite SAW devices could be operated up to 3 GHz; however, high acoustic losses of 20 dB/micros were observed. On LiNbO3, the acoustic losses measured up to 3.5 GHz are one order of magnitude less. Hence, SAW sensors capable of wireless interrogation were designed and processed on YZ-cut LiNbO3. The devices could be successfully operated in the industrial-scientific-medical (ISM) band from 2.40 to 2.4835 GHz up to 400 degrees C.     

Propagation of longitudinal leaky surface waves under periodic metal grating structure on lithium tetraborate

The dispersion properties of longitudinal leaky surface waves propagating under the periodic Al strip grating on lithium tetraborate (Li(2)B(4)O(7); LBO) are described theoretically and experimentally for applications of the mode to high frequency SAW devices. A theoretical method developed here is based on Floquet's theorem using space harmonics as an orthogonal function set and real boundary integral equations derived from the method of weighted residuals for a period of each region, i.e., substrate, metal, and free space. The boundary integral equations are solved by using the Galerkin procedure. The periodic strip gratings with both single-electrodes and double-electrodes are investigated, considering the convergency of the numerical computation for the number of the space harmonics. As a result, the propagation loss for shorted gratings was found to be relatively low in the thickness range of the Al strip below about 1% for the single-electrodes and 2% for the double-electrodes, although it greatly increases for a thickness over 2% for the single-electrodes and 3% for the double-electrodes.