What is a SAW?

SAW is an elastic wave that propagates only near the surface of a piezoelectric material. Proximity of a solid whose surface is a gas, liquid, vacuum, or other material has properties different from those of any (bulk) solid, liquid, or gas in that the propagation properties of elastic waves extend infinitely. Especially when the solid substrate material is a piezoelectric material, due to the piezoelectric effect (piezo effect), applying strain generates a surface acoustic wave (SAW) that propagates near the surface in a specific direction. An IDT (Interdigital Transducer), which uses piezoelectric single crystals, piezoelectric thin films, and piezoelectric ceramics as substrate materials, has a structure similar to the oscillator shown in Fig. 1, and can be used as a receiver if a high-speed pulse measuring instrument is used instead of a high-frequency power supply. The propagation speed of SAW is about 1 to 5 km/s, which is about 1/100,000th of that of electromagnetic waves, making it possible to miniaturize circuits.

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