Surface acoustic waves and SAW materials

Material parameters necessary for optimum design of surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) devices are reviewed. Velocity, coupling coefficient, power flow angle, temperature coefficients, propagation loss (including air loading, diffraction, and beam steering), and equivalent circuit parameters are considered. A brief introduction to the nature of surface waves is followed by sufficient theoretical information to allow full understanding and derivation of the properties and parameters cited above. A convenient tabular summary of important SAW material properties is included.