Simulation of surface acoustic wave devices

This paper reviews simulation technologies used in research and development of modern surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters. First, a simple discussion is presented on the flow of the numerical simulation to clarify its applicability and the need for it. Then two types of simulation techniques are discussed. The first type is based on the behavior model where the calculation speed is very crucial. Flow of the coupling-of-modes analysis is given as an example, and its use in practical device design is detailed. The second type is the full-wave analysis where precision is more important than the calculation speed. It is shown how these techniques are applied in the parameter extraction for the behavior model. Then a discussion is given on the simulation of devices using shear-horizontal SAWS where the interaction with bulk acoustic waves is significant. It is shown how the interaction should be taken into account for the device simulation. Finally, various hot topics in this direction are presented, and hidden problems in current simulation tools are revealed.