Studies And Fabrications Of Gaas Surface Acoustic Wave Sensors

The versatility of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices stems from the accessibility of the propagation path to modification and detection. This has led to the integration of SAWs in a variety of novel fields, including quantum information processing. The development of technologically competitive devices requires the use of gigahertz frequency SAWs. This thesis develops fabrication processes for high frequency interdigital transducers on gallium arsenide. Optically lithography was used to create linear and stepped transducers, with a minimum feature size of 2 um, that were driven at their fifth harmonic. The highest frequency achieved was 1435 MHz, but the power absorbed was less than 3% and insertion losses were greater than -80 dB. Further improvements in the design and fabrication are required if optically fabricated transducers are to be an alternative to transducers with narrower finger widths. Electron-beam lithography techniques were developed and used to create transducers with finger widths of 500 and 400 nm, with fundamental resonance frequencies of 1387 and 1744 MHz, respectively. The power absorbed was 3 to 6% with insertion losses greater than -45 dB. The performance characteristics can be improved by the removal of residual resist on the surface of the transducer. An indispensable tool for the characterization of one-port transducers is an all optical probe to measure the displacement field of a SAW. This work details the design and construction of a scanning Sagnac interferometer, that is capable of measuring the outward displacement of a surface. The spatial resolution of the interferometer was 2.4 +/- 0.2 um and the displacement sensitivity was determined to be 4 +/- 1 pm. The instrument was used to map the SAW displacement field from a 358 MHz transducer, with results showing the resonant cavity behaviour of the fingers due to Bragg reflections. It also allowed for the direct detection of the SAW amplitude as a function of the driving frequency of.

Monolithic, integrated acoustic wave chemical microsensors are being developed on gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrates. With this approach, arrays of microsensors and the high frequency electronic components needed to operate them reside on a single substrate, increasing the range of detectable analytes, reducing overall system size, minimizing systematic errors, and simplifying assembly and packaging. GaAs is employed because it is both piezoelectric, a property required to produce the acoustic wave devices, and a semiconductor with a mature microelectronics fabrication technology. Many aspects of integrated GaAs chemical sensors have been investigated, including: surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors; monolithic SAW delay line oscillators; GaAs application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) for sensor operation; a hybrid sensor array utilizing these ASICS; and the fully monolithic, integrated SAW array. Details of the design, fabrication, and performance of these devices are discussed. In addition, the ability to produce heteroepitaxial layers of GaAs and aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) makes possible micromachined membrane sensors with improved sensitivity compared to conventional SAW sensors. Micromachining techniques for fabricating flexural plate wave (FPW) and thickness shear mode (TSM) microsensors on thin GaAs membranes are presented and GaAs FPW delay line and TSM resonator performance is described.

Since their invention in the mid-1960's, surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices have become popular for a wide variety of applications. SAW devices represent a low-cost and compact method of achieving a variety of electronic signal processing functions at high frequencies, such as RF filters for TV or mobile wireless communications [1]. SAW devices also provide a convenient platform in chemical sensing applications, achieving extremely high sensitivity to vapor phase analytes in part-per-billion concentrations [2]. Although the SAW acoustic mode can be created on virtually any crystalline substrate, the development of SAW technology has historically focused on the use of piezoelectric materials, such as various orientations of either quartz or lithium niobate, allowing the devices to be fabricated simply and inexpensively. However, the III-V compound semiconductors, and GaAs in particular, are also piezoelectric as a result of their partially covalent bonding and support the SAW acoustic mode, allowing for the convenient fabrication of SAW devices. In addition, GaAs microelectronics has, in the past decade, matured commercially in numerous RF wireless technologies. In fact, GaAs was recognized long ago as a potential candidate for the monolithic integration of SAW devices with microelectronics, to achieve compact RF signal processing functions [3]. The details of design and fabrication of SAW devices can be found in a variety of references [1].

Written by an interdisciplinary group of experts from both industry and academia, Acoustic Wave Sensors provides an in-depth look at the current state of acoustic wave devices and the scope of their use in chemical, biochemical, and physical measurements, as well as in engineering applications. Because of the inherent interdisciplinary applications of these devices, this book will be useful for the chemist and biochemist interested in the use and development ofthese sensors for specific applications; the electrical engineer involved in the design and improvement of these devices; the chemical engineer and the biotechnologist interested in using these devices for process monitoring and control; and the sensor community at large. Provides in-depth comparison and analyses of different types of acoustic wave devices Discusses operating principles and design considerations Includes table of relevant material constants for quick reference Presents an extensive review of current uses of these devices for chemical, biochemical, and physical measurements, and engineering applications

This paper describes several recent advances for fabricating coated surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors for applications requiring trace chemical detection. Specifically, we have demonstrated that high surface area microporous oxides can provide 100-fold improvements in SAW sensor responses compared with more typical polymeric coatings. In addition, we fabricated GaAs SAW devices with frequencies up to 500 MHz to provide greater sensitivity and an ideal substrate for integration with high-frequency electronics.

We report on the development of harsh-environment surface acoustic wave sensors for wired and wireless operation. Surface acoustic wave devices with an interdigitated transducer emitter and multiple reflectors were fabricated on langasite substrates. Both wired and wireless temperature sensing was demonstrated using radar-mode (pulse) detection. Temperature resolution of better than ±0.5°C was achieved between 200°C and 600°C. Oxygen sensing was achieved by depositing a layer of ZnO on the propagation path. Although the ZnO layer caused additional attenuation of the surface wave, oxygen sensing was accomplished at temperatures up to 700°C. The results indicate that langasite SAW devices are a potential solution for harsh-environment gas and temperature sensing.

Surface Acoustic Wave Filters gives the fundamental principles and device design techniques for surface acoustic wave filters. It covers the devices in widespread use today: bandpass and pulse compression filters, correlators and non-linear convolvers and resonators. The newest technologies for low bandpass filters are fully covered such as unidirectional transducers, resonators in impedance element filters, resonators in double-mode surface acoustic wave filters and transverse-coupled resonators using waveguides. The book covers the theory of acoustic wave physics, the piezoelectric effect, electrostatics at a surface, effective permittivity, piezoelectric SAW excitation and reception, and the SAW element factor. These are the main requirements for developing quasi-static theory, which gives a basis for the non-reflective transducers in transversal bandpass filters and interdigital pulse compression filters. It is also needed for the reflective transducers used in the newer devices. A thorough revision of a classic on surface acoustic wave filters first published in 1985 and still in print Uniquely combines easy-to-understand principles with practical design techniques for all the devices in widespread use today Complete coverage of all the latest devices which are key to mobile phones, TVs and radar systems Includes a new foreword by Sir Eric Albert Ash