Publications

The effect of critical dimension (CD) variation and metallization ratio on the efficiency of energy conversion of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) correlator is examined. We find that a 10% variation in the width of finger electrodes predicts only a 1% decrease in the efficiency of energy conversion. Furthermore, our model predicts that a metallization ratio of 0.74 represents an optimum value for energy extraction from the SAW by the interdigitated transducer (IDT).

We report the surface acoustic wave (SAW) correlator devices fabricated using nanoimprint lithography. Using step-and-flash imprint lithography (S-FIL), we produced SAW correlator devices on 100 mm diameter z-cut LiNbO 3 devices and an aluminum metal etch process. On the same chip layout, we fabricated SAW filters and compared both the filters and correlators to similar devices fabricated using electron-beam lithography (EBL). Both S-FIL- and EBL-patterned correlators and SAW filters were analyzed using a bit-error rate tester to generate the signal and a parametric signal analyzer to evaluate the output. The NIL niters had an average center frequency of 2.38 GHz with a standard deviation of 10 MHz. The measured insertion loss averaged -31 dB. In comparison, SAW filters fabricated using EBL exhibited a center frequency of 2.39 GHz and a standard deviation of 100 kHz. Based on our preliminary results, we believe that S-FIL is an efficient and entirely viable fabrication method to produce quality SAW filters and correlators. © 2004 American Vacuum Society.