Unidirectional surface acoustic wave device

Abstract: In order to present an asymmetric frequncy characteristic in an unidirectional acoustic surface wave device with a simple external phase shifter (25), a transducer (20) formed on a substrate (10) have three interaction areas (acoustic sources) defined by different three electrodes, first electrode (21) being common, second electrode being connected to one end of the phase shifter (22), third electrode (23) being connected to another end of the phase shifter, and distances between interaction areas being unequal to 2 n (n:integer).

Description: Field of the Invention This invention relates to a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device with a unidirectional electrode which can reduce an insertion loss over a wide band width. Background of the Invention One example of the surface acoustic wave device of unidirectional type is disclosed in the reference titled with "a flat-amplitude surface acoustic wave filter incorporating a group-based unidirectional interdigital electrode array" by Toshiyasu Meguro et al, in December, 1976 in "a Collection of Lectures 1-5-14" of Japan Acoustic Academy. Another example of the unidirectional SAW device is disclosed in "Wide-Band and Low-Loss Unidirectional SAW Filter" by J. Yamada et al in December 1985 in "Proceedings of the 6th Symposium on Ultrasonic Electronics" which proposes an improved group-type unidirectional SAW transducer that reduces the geometrical phase difference between sending and reflecting electrodes and employs a 90 degree phase shifter. A further example of the unidirectional SAW device is disclosed in the copending US patent aplication (Ser.No. 869,979) filed on June 2, 1986 and in DE-OS 3,618,913. In such unidirectional SAW devices the insertion loss and a distortion in the frequency characteristic can be more reduced over the wide band width. However it is difficult to make such a unidirectional device an exhibitation of an asymmetrical amplitude frequency characteristic. Especially no one suggests the unidirectional SAW device which can exhibit such asymmetrical characteristic with a simple external circuit, that is, a single phase shift circuit. Summary of the Invention It is an object of the invention to provide a unidirectional surface acoustic wave device which exhibits asymmetrical frequency characteristic. This object is achieved by a unidirectional surface acoustic wave device according to claims 1 and 3, respectively. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is defined in independent claim 2. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a drawing showing a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a drawing showing positions of interreaction areas in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are vector diagrams of responses at interreaction areas in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 1⊘ are drawings showing other embodiments of the present invention. Figs. 6 and 8 are drawings showing equivalent circuits for other embodiments. Figs. 7 and 9 are drawings showing frequency characteristics of other embodiments. Description of the preferred Embodiment A simple example having three interaction areas in one group of a transducer will be explained. Transfer phases of the surface acoustic waves between first interaction area 1 and other interaction areas 2 and 3 are represented by Pm1 and Pm2. Also it is assumed that interaction areas 2 and 3 are placed between the same kind of electrode ( second electrodes ) and a common electrode and that the phase shift by the phase shift circuit connected between the first electrode and a second electrode is represented Pe. When the radiated acoustic pressures at each interaction area 1, 2, and 3 are represented a⊘, a1, and a2, respectively, the conditions under which the energy transferred in reverse direction is zero are expressed as a0 + a1cos(Pm1 + Pe) + a2cos(Pm2 + Pe) = 0 a1sin(Pm1 + Pe) + a2sin(Pm2 + Pe) = 0 By dividing these equations (1) and (2) by a⊘, the following equations are obtained. 1 + a1 a0 cos(Pm1 + Pe) + a2 a0 cos(Pm2 + Pe) = 0 a1 a0 sin(Pm1 + Pe) + a2 a0 cos(Pm2 + Pe) = 0 When bs and bc are quadrature and inphase components in the Fourier transformation for the asymmetry frequency characteristic of the transducer in the forward direction, the following equation is derived. a1 a0 sin(Pm1 - Pe) + a2 a0 sin(Pm2 - Pe) 1 + a1 a0 cos(Pm1 - Pe) + a2 a0 cos(Pm2 - Pe) = bs bc Even if Pe is fixed, there are four variable parameters Pm1, Pm2, a1/a⊘ and a2/a⊘ and there are three equations, therefore these parameters can be suitably determined. However, if the difference between Pm1 and Pm2 is an integer multiple of 2π, then Pm1 = Pm2 if the phase rotation is subtracted, consequently the phase is determined according to equations (3) and (4) under any values of a1/a⊘ and a2/a⊘. Therefore an arbitrary value for bs/bc cannot be obtained if the difference between-Pm1 and Pm2 is an integer mutiple of 2π. Also in the case where the number of the interaction area is two or less, since the parameters are unconditionally determined, Pe is so veried that the number of phase shift circuits is increased. Thus, if the number of the interaction area in one group is three and Pm2 is unequal to Pm1 + 2nπ (n:integer), then, even if electrical phase differences Pe in each of groups are the same, the quadrature component in each group can be freely chosen, therefore there is provided one common external phase shift circuit in order to obtain the asymmetric frequency characteristic. While in the case where there are n + 1 of interaction areas in one group, the conditions under which the energy for transfer in the reverse direction is zero are similarly expressed as a0 + a1cos(Pm1 + Pe) + a2cos(Pm2 + Pe) + --- --- + ancos(Pmn + Pe) = 0 a1sin(Pm + Pe) + a2sin(Pm2 + Pe) + --- --- + ansin(Pmn + Pe) = 0 and from the condition that the ratio between the quadrature component and inphase component in forward direction is given by bs/bc, the following equation is obtained. a1sin(Pm1 - Pe) + a2sin(Pm2 - Pe) + --- + ansin(Pmn - Pe) a0 + a1cos(Pm1 - Pe) + a2cos(Pm2 - Pe) + --- + ancos(Pmn - Pe) = bs / bc There are three conditional expressions (6), (7) and (8), and 2n variable parameters Pm1 to Pmn, and a1/a⊘ to an/a⊘. Since 2n > 3 holds when N + 1 is three or above, if at least one of is independent ( i.e. out of phase with phase rotation taken into consideration ), an arbitrary value of bs/bc is achieved with the value of Pe being the same for each group. In Fig. 1. on elastic substrate 1⊘ there are provided input transducer 2⊘ having common electrode 21, first electrode 22 and second electrode 23 for converting an input signal applied to input terminal 27 into a surface acoustic wave to launch it toward output transducer 3⊘ and output transducer 3⊘ having common electrode 31, first electrode 32 and second electrode 33 for receiving the surface acoustic wave from input transducer 2⊘ to convert into an output signal at output terminal 37 from the received surface acoustic wave. Phase shift circuit 25 is connected between first electrode 22 and second electrode 23 in transducer 2⊘ which operates as a unidirectional device with the symmetric frequency characteristic. Phase shift circuit 35 is connected between first electrode 32 and second electrode 33 in transducer 3⊘ which operates as a unidirectional device with the asymmetric frequency characteristic. Now it is assumed that the ratio between quadrature and inphase components bs/ba = 2 + √3 according to a given frequency characteristic. Also the acoustic pressures at interaction areas 1, 2, and 3 are represented by a⊘, a1 and a2 ( which are determined in this case chiefly by number of pairs of interdigital electrodes defining interactive areas). Representing the transfer phase between areas 1 and 2 by Pm1, the transfer phase between 1 and 3 by Pm2, the desired frequency of the band pass of transducer 3⊘ by f, the average acoustic velocity of the surface acoustic wave within the interdigital electrodes by Ve, and the wave length thereof by λ, since distances L1 and L2 coincide with the distances between interaction areas, Pm1 and Pm2 are given by Pm1 = 2πL1f Ve = 2πL1 λ Pm2 = 2πL2f Ve = 2πL2 λ If the phase shift in the external phase shifter is represented by Pe, the conditions of the power of the surface wave radiated in the reverse direction being zero are expressed as equations (3) and (4), and the condition in the forward direction is expressed from equation (5) as a1 a0 sin(Pm1 - Pe) + a2 a0 sin(Pm2 - Pe) 1 + a1 a0 cos(Pm1 - Pe) + a2 a0 cos(Pm2 - Pe) = 2 + √3 Assuming that Pe = 15 degrees and a1/a⊘ = 1, followings are obtained. Pm1 = 1⊘5 degrees, Pm2 = 225 degrees and a2/a⊘ = 1 The distribution for interactive areas along the time axis in the case where the phase shift circuit is not used (shorted between first and second electrodes ), acoustic pressure interaction areas 1, 2 and 3 are distributed at phase differences 1⊘5 degrees and 225 degrees as shown in Fig. 2. If now the acoustic pressures in the forward direction are represented by vectors, the vector diagram is shown as Fig. 3. Here the angle of the vector corresponds to time. Since the inphase component ( abscissa axis component) and the quadrature component ( ordinate axis component) of the composed vector summed with vectors 14, 15 and 16 are 1 - √3/2 and 1/2, respectively, the ratio between 1 - √3/2 and 1/2 becomes 2 +√3. Fig. 4 is the vector diagram seen in the reverse direction, wherein vectors 17, 18 and 19 represent the acoustic pressures at interactive areas 1, 2 and 3 for the acoustic wave propagating in the reverse direction. Since the vectors are at a phase difference of 12⊘ degrees with each other and equal in magnitude, it is obvious that their vector sum are zero. While the case where one group of unidirectional electrodes is used in the above embodiment, it of course is possible to use plural groups of unidirectional electrodes to achieve virtually a desired frequency characteristic. Fig. 5 is a drawing schematically showing output weighting unidirectional electrodes of a second embodiment of the present invention. Interdigital electrodes 12⊘ and 121 are connected in parallel and interdigital electrodes 122 and 123 are also connected in parallel. Interdigital electrodes 121 and 123, and interdigital electrodes 12⊘ and 122, are each connected through phase shift circuit 128 to form a group. Also the sets connected in parallel of interdigital electrodes 124 and 125, and 126 and 127, are connected in like manner through phase shift circuit 128. The groups of interdigital electrodes 12⊘ to 123 and 124 to 127 are disposed a distance ΔL ( ≠ n, n: integer) apart in the direction of propagation of the surface wave. Since the groups of interdigital electrodes are arranged symmetrically on the left and right, the group delay characteristic on the axis of frequency becomes flat. We now assume that the number of pairs of each of the interdigital electrodes are the same. Since the above mentioned unidirectional electrodes are symmetrical on the left and right, the sets of interdigital electrodes 121, 123,125 and 127 will be considered. When the transfer phase between interdigital electrodes 121 and 123 is represented by Pm the same as in the first embodiment, and the phase shift in phase shift circuit 128 by Pe, the condition under which the energy transfer in the reverse direction is zero expressed as Pm + Pe = 18⊘ degrees We represent the transfer phase between interdigital electrodes 125 and 127 also by Pm, set ΔL as ΔL = λ/4 and set Pe at 9⊘ degrees. From equation (12), Pm = 9⊘ degrees is derived and the ratio between the quadrature component and the inphase component, bs/bc, in the above group is determined from equation (13) by the ratios of aperture of interdigital electrodes 121, 123 and 125, 127 and expressed as W2/W1 = bs/bc While the degree of freedom in designing was small in the first embodiment because a⊘, a1, a2 were allowed only to take the value proportional to the square of the number of pairs, the second embodiment has such an advantage that, even if the Pe is set constant for each group, bs/bc can be freely selected as described above by suitably selecting W1 and W2. Although, in the above embodiment, Pe was set as Pe = 9⊘ degrees, Pm and Pe satisfying equation (12) can be freely selected and L can also be freely selected. While the case of eight interdigital electrodes, four groups, was shown in the above embodiment, it is possible to achieve desired frequency characteristic by increasing the number of groups. Also, when using the present embodiment, by arranging the above interdigital electrodes in a line-symmetrical manner about the axis in the direction of propagation with respect to the geometrical center of the unidirectional electrodes or in a point-symmetrical manner about the center, it becomes possible to keep the group delay time virtually constant within the bandwidth. Fig. 6 shows an equivalent circuit diagram for the second embodiment. For phase shift circuit 128, a vessel type phase shifter consisting of a resistor 137 (resistance value:ra) and inductor 138 ( inductance value:La) was used. The value of radiation conductance 129 of interdigital electrodes 12⊘ and 121 is represented by go and the value of equivalent susceptance 13⊘ by jbo. Likewise, 131 (g1) and 132 (jb1) correspond to interdigital electrodes 122 and 123, and 135 (g3) and 136 (jb3) correspond to interdigital electrodes 126 and 127. Since the number of pairs of each of the electrodes are equal, we obtain go = g2, g1 = g3 bo = b2, b1 = b3 and representing as G = g⊘ + g1 = g2 + g3 B = b⊘ + b1 = b2 + b3 Pe = 9⊘ degrees is achieved by setting as ra = B - G G² + B² La = 1 ω · B + G G² + B² where ω is a desired angular frequency. Fig. 7 shows the frequency characteristic of the device designed , for trial, as an intermediate frequency filter for a television receiver on the basic constraction as that of the second embodiment in which there is provided 12⊘ interdigital electrodes in 6⊘ groups as the output transducer and 8 groups of conventional unidirectional electrodes as the input transducer. As the substrate, 128 Y-cut LiNbO₃ with the X axis taken the direction of propagation was used, and electrodes was formed of a thin Al film 7⊘⊘⊘ Å thick made by photolithography and provided with a 2⊘⊘⊘ µm aperture. Equivalent circuit constants Gi, Bi, Go and Bo of the input and output transducers at 56.5MHz were obtained by measurement as Gi = 2.2 ms, Bi = 4.8 mS Go = 1.5 mS, Go = 4.5 mS From these values, using equation (17), (18), constants for phase shifter were obtained. The constants for the phase shifter for the input transducer were ra = 93 Ω , la = ⊘.72 µH and for the output side were ra = 13⊘ Ω, La = ⊘.75 µH Therefore elements having these values were used for phase shifters. Input and output impedances set at 14⊘ Ω and 17⊘ Ω, and matching was provided by parallel inductances of ⊘.59 µH and ⊘.63 µH. Under these conditions, the asymmetric frequency characteristic with a loss 12dB as shown in Fig. 7 was obtained. Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment in which unidirectional electrodes the same as above were used but pure reactance elements only were used for phase shifters. As the phase shifters, inductor 14⊘ (Lb1) and inductor 141 (Lb2) were used. The above inductance values can be expressed using G, B as Lb1 = 1 ωG Lb2 = 1 ω · 1 B - G Using equations (19) and (2⊘), values of the phase shifter for the input transducer are obtained as Lb1 = 1,3 µH, Lb2 = 1,1 µH Similarly, values of the phase shifter for the output transducer are obtained as Lb1 = 1,9 µH, Lb2 = ⊘.94 µH The impedance on the input side was set at 23⊘ Ω and matching was provided by using a parallel inductance of 1.1 µH, while the output impedance was set at 33⊘ Ω and matching was provided by using a parallel inductance of ⊘.94 µH. Fig. 9 shows the obtained frequency characteristic. The amplitude characteristic 142 is provided with an asymmetric characteristic with a loss of 6dB. Since pure reactance elements are used for phase shifters in the present embodiment, an advantage is obtained that there is no loss owing to resistance. Fig. 1⊘ shows a fourth embodiment. Since the electrical wiring in the second embodiment of Fig. 5 was of a crossover (multilevel crossing) structure, it had a disadvantage that the manufacturing process became complicated when the wiring was executed by photolithography. The fourth embodiment has solved such a problem, that is, the crossover is eliminated by connecting the electrodes arranged in the direction of the aperture.

Claims: A surface acoustic wave device comprising: a piezo-electric substrate (10); an input transducer (20-23) formed on said substrate and connected to a signal source (27), for conversion of an electric signal from said signal source into a surface acoustic wave; an output transducer (30-33) formed on said substrate and connected to a load circuit, for conversion of said surface acoustic wave into an electric signal; a propagation path on which said surface acoustic wave propagates from said input transducer to said output transducer; characterized in that at least one of said transducers includes a common electrode (31), a first electrode (32) to form a first interaction area (1) between said common and first electrodes and a second electrode (33) to form second and third interaction areas (2, 3) between said common and second electrodes, the distance (L2) between the centers of said second and third interaction areas being of any value of N x Z, where N is any integer and Z is a wave length, excluding a distance where the value of Z corresponds to when a propagation energy ratio is a maximum value wherein said propagation energy ratio is a ratio of propagation energy of the surface acoustic wave at said propagation path and propagation energy of the surface acoustic wave outside of said propagation path; and a phase shift circuit (35) connected between said first and second electrodes for causing a difference in phase between electrical signals at said first and second electrodes so that the propagation energy of said surface acoustic wave outside of said propagation path is reduced (Fig. 1). A surface acoustic wave device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said device satisfies following three equations, a0 + a1cos( Pm 1 + Pe ) + ... + an cos( Pmn + Pe ) = 0 a1sin( Pm 1 + Pe ) + ... + an sin( Pmn + Pe ) = 0 a1sin( Pm 1 - Pe ) + ... + an sin( Pmn - Pe ) a0 + a1cos( Pm 1 - Pe ) + ... + an cos( Pmn - Pe ) = bs bc wherein a0, a1, ... an are acoustic pressures at said interaction areas, Pm1, Pm2, ... Pmn are transfer phases for said acoustic surface wave transferred between said interaction areas, Pe is the phase shifted by said phase shift circuit, and bs/bc is the ratio between quadrature and inphase components in the Fourier transformation for a frequency characteristic in each transducer. A surface acoustic wave device comprising: a piezo-electric substrate; an input transducer formed on said substrate and connected to a signal source for conversion of an electric signal from said signal source into a surface acoustic wave; an output transducer formed on said substrate and connected to a load circuit, for conversion of said surface acoustic wave into an electric signal; a propagation path on which said surface acoustic wave propagates from said input transducer to said output transducer; characterized in that at least one of said transducer includes a common electrode, a first electrode (120) to form a first interaction area between said common and first electrodes, a second electrode (121) to form a second interaction area between said common and second electrodes, a third electrode (122) to form a third interaction area between said common and third electrodes, a fourth electrode (123) to form a fourth interaction area between said common and fourth electrodes, a fifth electrode (124) to form a fifth interface area between said common and fifth electrodes, a sixth electrode (125) to form a sixth interaction are between said common and sixth electrodes, a seventh electrode (126) to form a seventh interaction area between said common and seventh electrodes, and an eighth electrode (127) to form an eighth interaction area between said common and eighth electrodes, the distance between the centers of adjacent pairs of interaction areas being of any value of N x Z, where N is any integer and Z is a wave length, excluding a distance where the value of Z corresponds to when a propagation energy ratio is a maximum value wherein said propagation radio is a ratio of propagation energy of the surface acoustic wave at said propagation path and propagation energy of the surface acoustic wave outside of said propagation path; and a phase shift circuit (128) connected between a first group of said electrodes and a second group of said electrodes for causing a difference in phase between electrical signals at said first and second groups of electrodes, so that said propagation of said surface acoustic wave outside of said propagation path is reduced (Figs. 5, 10).

Inventors: FUJITA YUJI, SHIBA TAKASHI, TAKAHASHI TOSHIMITSU, YAMADA JUN, FUJITA, YUJI, SHIBA, TAKASHI, TAKAHASHI, TOSHIMITSU, YAMADA, JUN
Applicants: HITACHI LTD, HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: H03H9
IPC codes: H03H9