Low-loss unidirectional transducer for high frequency surface acoustic wave devices

A multi-track unidirectional transducer for surface acoustic wave devices is presented. This transducer consists of periodic cells containing in each of the multiple tracks, only two electrodes and two gaps with quarter period width. So the structure has maximal possible dimensions of its elements for a cell period equal to one wavelength. In spite of current technological limitations this permits to implement unidirectional transducers in GHz range. In contrast to known structures with active tracks only, the structure contains alternating both active transducer tracks and passive reflector tracks with different apertures comparable to surface acoustic wave (SAW) wavelength. The tracks strongly interact due to diffraction of waves excited by such electrode structure on a piezoelectric substrate. A structure analysis by means of finite element method shows that complete unidirectionality can be reached. First experimental results are given. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3651617]