Structure with thin SiO_x/SiN_x bilayer and Al electrodes for high-frequency, large-coupling, and low-cost surface...

With the development of fifth-generation wireless systems, the Internet of Things, and health services, surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based filters and sensors have attracted considerable interest. This study presents a new structure for high-frequency, large-coupling, and low-cost SAW devices that helps implement high-frequency and wideband filters and enhances the sensitivity of sensors. The structure is based on 15°Y-X LiNbO₃, thin SiO_x/SiN_x bilayer overlay, and Al electrodes. Furthermore, a low-cost fabrication process for SAW devices based on this structure was designed. Simulation and experimental results show that the bilayer substantially weakens the leaky nature of shear-horizontal-type SAWs with a phase velocity higher than that of a slow-shear bulk wave in LiNbO₃. Thus, the limitation related to the velocity of 4029 m/s was overcome, and the phase velocity reached approximately 4500 m/s, which means an increase of 50% compared with that of conventional Cu/15°Y-X LiNbO₃ devices. Consequently, the frequency dramatically increases, and the quality of the SAW response is ensured. Simultaneously, a large electromechanical coupling factor close to 20% can be achieved, which is still suitable for wideband filters and sensors with high energy transduction coefficients. This new structure is expected to become a major candidate for SAW devices in the future.