Evolution of the SAW transducer for communication systems

This paper reviews the evolution of SAW transducer technology for communication systems. Applications of TV sets, radar, satellite communications, mobile phones and a wealth of others have driven a diversity of transducer embodiments. Some of the diverse sets of transducers include: bidirectional, multi-phase unidirectional, single phase unidirectional, chirped, coded, slanted, resonant and others. Scientists and engineers continually push the limits on materials, device design and manufacturing, leading to lower loss, broader bandwidths, smaller size and lower cost devices. Connections between past military requirements, commercial communication systems current consumer applications have driven the transducer technology in varied directions culminating in today's diverse, application specific devices. This paper takes an historical view of the SAW transducer's diverse embodiments, practical implementations, and innovative problem solutions, through the eyes of the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control (UFFC) society publications.