Tunable surface acoustic wave oscillators using magnetostrictive thin films

RF sputtered thin films of nickel deposited on YZ-LiNbO
3
have been used for magnetically tunable oscillators and delay lines. Velocity variations Δv/v of 7 × 10
^-
at 189 MHz were observed at magnetic fields of 110 Oe, a significant improvement over similar thermally evaporated films. Detailed experimental results are given for both variable delay lines and tunable oscillators.