Design and simulation analysis of patterned piezoelectric layer surface acoustic wave devices

Abstract As the 5G radio communication progresses, there has been a surge in interest in surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices characterized by high electromechanical coupling coefficients ( K 2 ) and superior temperature stability. This study presents a newly designed SAW device employing a patterned piezoelectric (PP) thin film interdigital transducer based on an Al/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 multilayer structure. Using the FEM, detailed investigations were conducted to assess the transmission properties of acoustic waves through a novel structural design. The study meticulously explored how changes in the thicknesses of the PP thin film, the ZnO piezoelectric layer, the electrode, and the SiO 2 temperature compensation layer influence K 2 and phase velocity ( V p ) in both Rayleigh and Sezawa wave modes. The research demonstrated that by optimizing the device’s architecture, the K 2 in the Sezawa mode could be enhanced to 3.66%, marking an increase of approximately 450% over conventional single-crystal ZnO piezoelectric configurations. Additionally, the device attains a zero temperature frequency coefficient, rendering it exceptionally effective for the development of wide-bandwidth SAW devices. The proposed structure not only amplifies the frequency and electromechanical properties but also integrates device miniaturization with temperature stability, thereby providing robust technical support for the advancement of high-performance, reliable SAW devices. This device brings high performance and wide bandwidth solutions to the field of wireless communication, and can maintain frequency stability in complex environments.