Thin Film Acoustoelectric GHz SAW Amplifier Design

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) acoustoelectric (AE) theory and device embodiments have been demonstrated from the 1960s to the present. Technology has greatly advanced in new materials, growth and deposition, and nano films offering new opportunities for AE effects. The ability to produce a practical integrated SAW AE amplifier in filters and resonators would provide new opportunities for SAW RF filters and oscillators. In particular, the AE amplifier is one component of producing a SAW-based simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) radio at approximately 1 GHz using spread spectrum RF filtering. This paper will present research efforts on development of a thin film AE amplifier on LiNbO3. The first part of the paper will discuss the boundaries and coupled-interactions of the many design parameters for practical AE thin film amplifiers. The second part of the paper will provide the most recent results of the AE amplifier research efforts using graphene on lithium niobate.