SAW RFID Devices Using Connected IDTs as an Alternative to Conventional Reflectors for Harsh Environments.

Remote interrogation of surface acoustic wave identification tag (ID-tags) imposes a high signal amplitude which is related to a high coupling coefficient value ( K2 ) and low propagation losses ( α ). In this article, we propose and discuss an alternative configuration to the standard one. Here, we replaced the conventional configuration, i.e., one interdigital transducer (IDT) and several reflectors, by a series of electrically connected IDTs. The goal is to increase the amplitude of the detected signal using direct transmission between IDTs instead of the reflection from passive reflectors. This concept can, therefore, increase the interrogation scope of ID-tags made on a conventional substrate with high K2 value. Moreover, it can also be extended to suitable substrates for harsh environments, such as high-temperature environments: the materials used exhibit limited performances (low K2 value and relatively high propagation losses) and are, therefore, rarely used for identification applications. The concept was first tested and validated using the lithium niobate 128° Y-X cut substrate, which is commonly used in ID-tags. A good agreement between experimental and numerical results was obtained for the promising concept of connected IDTs. The interesting features of the structure were also validated using a langasite substrate, which is well-known to operate at very high temperatures. Performances of both substrates (lithium niobate and langasite) were tested with an in situ RF characterization up to 600 °C. Unexpected results regarding the resilience of devices based on congruent lithium niobate were obtained.

AlN/ZnO/LiNbO3 Packageless Structure as a Low-Profile Sensor for Potential On-Body Applications.

Surface acoustic wave sensors find their application in a growing number of fields. This interest stems in particular from their passive nature and the possibility of remote interrogation. Still, the sensor package, due to its size, remains an obstacle for some applications. In this regard, packageless solutions are very promising. This paper describes the potential of the AlN/ZnO/LiNbO3 structure for packageless acoustic wave sensors. This structure, based on the waveguided acoustic wave principle, is studied numerically and experimentally. According to the COMSOL simulations, a wave, whose particle displacement is similar to a Rayleigh wave, is confined within the structure when the AlN film is thick enough. This result is confirmed by comprehensive experimental tests, thus proving the potential of this structure for packageless applications, notably temperature sensing.

High-Temperature SAW Resonator Sensors: Electrode Design Specifics.

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors are steadily paving the way to wider application areas. Their main benefit consisting in the possibility of wireless interrogation with the radio frequency interrogation signal being the only energy source for the reradiated signal. This feature is getting more and more attractive with the growing demand in monitoring multiple industrial objects difficult to access by wired sensors in harsh environments. Among such wider applications, the possibility of making measurements of temperature, deformation, vibrations, and some other parameters at temperatures in the range of 300 °C-1000 °C look quite promising. This paper concentrates on specific features of the SAW resonator-based sensors operation at this temperature range. High-temperature influences the material choice and thus the properties of SAW resonators design peculiarities intended for use at high temperature. It is suggested that preferable designs should use synchronous resonators with relatively thick electrodes (10% of wavelength) based on Ir or Pt alloys while benefiting from the possibilities of specific designs that could reduce the negative impact of thick electrodes on the manufacturing in quantity. This solution benefits from lower resonance frequency scatter because of the automatic compensation of SAW velocity decrease due to electrode metallization ratio increase. This compensation originates from the resonance frequency increase that is related to the decrease of the Bragg bandwidth defined by the reflection. It is shown in modeling examples that the value of metallization ratio at which this compensation occurs is close to 65%-70%.

SAW Temperature Sensor on Quartz.

For biomedical applications, narrow temperature range and high sensor accuracy requirements define the need for high temperature sensitivity. Wireless SAW sensors connected to antennas need a reference element to account for changes in electromagnetic coupling between the transmitter and receiver antennas. A pair of sensors with different temperature sensitivities may serve as a self-referenced sensor assembly. This justifies the need for materials with useful SAW resonator properties and with the largest difference between temperature coefficients of frequency (TCF) for a resonator pair on a single substrate. We have identified several cuts of quartz having useful properties with a TCF difference up to 140 ppm/°C for a pair of resonators on a single substrate. As a rule, placing such resonators on a single substrate requires their rotation by up to 90° relative to each other. The limited range of cuts presents a unique opportunity to place both resonators along the X+90° direction with one resonator using Bleustein-Gulyaev-Shimizu (BGS) waves (with electrodes placed along the x-axis) and the other one (with electrodes inclined by about ±10° to the x-axis) using quasi-Rayleigh waves. These cuts are close to the 70°Y cut where a high TCF difference is reached together with acceptable characteristics of the resonators. Resonators were designed for all useful cuts (including the 70°Y cut) and tested. The use of different periods in reflectors and interdigital transducer (IDT) together with individual choice of gaps between reflectors and IDT meant achieving low spurious content in resonator responses. The quality factors reached values up to 3500 at central frequencies around 915 MHz for both BGS and quasi-Rayleigh types of waves. The measured difference of the TCF is about 138 ppm/°C on 70°Y cut that is close to the calculated value.

AlN/ZnO/diamond waveguiding layer acoustic wave structure: theoretical and experimental results.

We present a theoretical calculation and experimental results for a waveguiding layer acoustic wave (WLAW). The experimental device is modeled by the finite element method (FEM) for the AlN/ZnO/diamond structure. It was found that the AlN thickness must be at least larger than 3lambda/2 to obtain negligible surface displacement. In the same way, the ZnO thickness for a fixed value of AlN thickness at 2lambda must be larger than lambda/4 to confine the acoustic wave. The electromechanical coupling of the wave presents an optimum around lambda/2 for the ZnO layer thickness. A first experimental AlN/ZnO/diamond device has been developed and shows the WLAW at 412 MHz.

One-port SAW resonators using natural SPUDT substrates.

We discuss the design of one-port surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonators using substrates with a partial or total degree of directivity, that is, the natural single-phase unidirectional transducer (N-SPUDT) effect. A general design method gives a resonance when all three frequencies (the required resonance frequency and the Bragg frequencies) are different. A second method has been derived from the resonance condition for a symmetrical substrate. Two further methods incorporate lamda/4 gaps. The capacitance ratio is presented as a function of the phase of the electrode reflection coefficient. The simulations use data for the N-SPUDT orientation of langasite. The reflection coefficient for Al electrodes has been calculated from finite element modeling (FEM) analysis. The approximate perturbation theory is found to agree well for small film thickness (h/lamda < 2%). The phase of the reflection coefficient is typically 150 degrees, not quite the ideal value of 180 degrees. Measurements on resonators using Al and Cu films are presented.