Saw-based radio sensor and communication techniques (invited)

Surface acoustic waves can be generated at the free surface of an elastic solid. This phenomenon has been exploited for electronic analog signal processing over the past 30 years, with the development of a host of devices and systems for consumer, commercial and military applications running at a some hundred million dollar annual rate. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the latest developments in the surface acoustic wave (SAW) field and to identify upcoming applications in remote sensing and communications. It. is intended to address some of the key issues in the successful design and manufacture of SAW devices and to discuss the operating principles from a microwave design viewpoint.