Growth of Al-Cu Thin Films on LiNbO3 Substrates for Surface Acoustic Wave Devices Based on Combinatorial Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Al-Cu thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering from aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) metal targets to improve the acoustic performance of SAW devices on LiNbO3 substrates. To optimize the electrode material for SAW devices, Al-Cu films with various compositions were fabricated and their electrical, mechanical, and acoustic properties were comprehensively evaluated. The Al-Cu films exhibited a gradual decrease in resistivity with increasing Al content. The double-electrode SAW devices composed of Al-Cu films demonstrated a resonant frequency of 70 MHz and an average insertion loss of −16.1 dB, which was significantly lower than that of devices made with traditional Au or Al electrodes. Additionally, the SAW devices showed an increase in the FWHM values of the resonant frequency and a decrease in the insertion loss as the Al content in the IDT electrode decreased. These findings indicate that improving the performance of SAW devices can be achieved by reducing the density of the IDT electrodes, rather than focusing solely on their electrical characteristics.