An acoustic wave element which can be reduced in size and produced relatively easily, practically used without using harmful substances, and can suppress a surface acoustic wave propagation loss, which has an excellent temperature coefficient of frequency and a velocity dispersion characteristic, and with which an increase in the reflection coefficient of interdigital transducers can be suppressed, and a method for manufacturing the acoustic wave element are provided. The acoustic wave element includes a pair of electrodes provided on both surfaces of a piezoelectric substrate, and a dielectric film provided on a first surface of the piezoelectric substrate so as to cover the electrode. The acoustic wave element alternatively includes interdigital transducers provided on a first surface of the piezoelectric substrate, and a dielectric film provided on the interdigital transducers, a gap between the interdigital transducers, and/or a second surface of the piezoelectric substrate.

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator comprises a plurality of interdigital transducer (IDT) electrodes disposed on a multilayer piezoelectric substrate including a layer of piezoelectric material having a lower surface bonded to an upper surface of a layer of a dielectric material. The dielectric material has a lower surface bonded to an upper surface of a carrier substrate. The plurality of IDT electrodes include an upper layer and a lower layer. The upper layer is formed of a material having a higher conductivity than the lower layer. The lower layer is formed of a material having a higher density than the upper layer to provide for reduction in size of the SAW resonator.

A surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) resonator includes a substrate formed from an anisotropic crystal and first and second acoustic reflectors disposed on a surface of the substrate. The first and second acoustic reflectors face each other to form an acoustic cavity whose axis is aligned with a crystallographic orientation of the anisotropic crystal such that the SAW resonator is minimally diffracting at cryogenic temperatures. The substrate may be a piezoelectric crystal, in which case the acoustic cavity can be excited by driving electrodes located on the surface of the substrate. Since the SAW resonator is minimally diffracting, it has less loss, and therefore can achieve higher Qs, than SAW resonators based on other crystallographic orientations.

A filter device includes first and second acoustic wave resonators each including a support, a piezoelectric layer that has an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis that are crystal axes and is made of Y-cut lithium niobate, and an IDT electrode including first and second electrode fingers. When a thickness of the piezoelectric layer is d and a center-to-center distance of the first and second electrode fingers and the second electrode fingers adjacent to each other is p, d/p is less than or equal to 0.5. An absolute value of a first slant angle α1 differs from an absolute value of a second slant angle α2.

A piezoelectric thin film (PTF) is located above a carrier substrate. The PTF may be Z-cut LiNbO.sub.3 thin film adapted to propagate an acoustic wave in at least one of a first mode excited by an electric field oriented in a longitudinal direction along a length of the PTF or a second mode excited by the electric field oriented at least partially in a thickness direction of the PTF. A first interdigitated transducer (IDT) is disposed on a first end of the PTF. The first IDT is to convert a first electromagnetic signal, traveling in the longitudinal direction, into the acoustic wave. A second IDT is disposed on a second end of the PTF with a gap between the second IDT and the first IDT. The second IDT is to convert the acoustic wave into a second electromagnetic signal, and the gap determines a time delay of the acoustic wave.

An acoustic wave sensor device comprises a quartz material layer comprising a planar surface, a first interdigitated transducer formed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a first reflection structure formed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a second reflection structure formed over the planar surface of the quartz material layer, a first resonance cavity formed between the first interdigitated transducer and the first reflection structure and a second resonance cavity formed between the first interdigitated transducer and the second reflection structure. The planar surface of the quartz material layer is defined by a crystal cut of a quartz material of the quartz material layer with angles φ in the range of −14° to −24°, θ in the range of −25° to −45° and ψ in the range of +8° to +28°.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to a multiplexer that includes a first filter and a second filter coupled to a common node. The first filter includes an acoustic filter arranged to filter a radio frequency signal, a matching network coupled between the acoustic filter and the common node, and a parallel circuit coupled in series between the acoustic filter and the common node. The parallel circuit includes an inductive component in parallel with a capacitive component. In certain instances, the first filter is coupled to the common node via a switch, the matching network is coupled to a node between the acoustic filter and the switch, and the parallel circuit is coupled in series between the acoustic filter and the switch. Related methods, radio frequency modules, and wireless communication devices are also disclosed.

A surface acoustic wave resonator that has at least a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency is disclosed. The surface acoustic wave resonator can include an interdigital transducer electrode that is positioned over a piezoelectric layer. The interdigital transducer electrode includes fingers having a first pitch. The surface acoustic wave resonator can also include a first set of reflectors that is positioned over the piezoelectric layer. The first set of reflectors includes a first number of reflectors having a second pitch. The first pitch is greater than the second pitch. The surface acoustic wave resonator can also include a second set of reflectors that is positioned over the piezoelectric layer. The second set of reflectors includes a second number of reflectors having a third pitch. The second number of reflectors is different from the first number of reflectors.

A surface acoustic wave resonator that has at least a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency is disclosed. The surface acoustic wave resonator can include an interdigital transducer electrode over a piezoelectric layer. The interdigital transducer electrode includes fingers having a first pitch. The surface acoustic wave resonator can also include a set of reflectors that is positioned over the piezoelectric layer. The set of reflectors includes a number of reflectors having a second pitch. The first pitch is greater than the second pitch. The number of reflectors is configured so as to compensate for degradation of a quality factor of the surface acoustic wave resonator due to having the first pitch greater than the second pitch.

Methods of manufacturing an acoustic wave device are disclosed. An anti-reflection layer can be formed over a conductive layer that is over a piezoelectric layer. The conductive layer can include aluminum, for example. The anti-reflection layer can remain distinct from the conductive layer after a heating process. A photolithography process can pattern an interdigital transducer of the acoustic wave device from one or more interdigital transducer electrode layers that include the conductive layer. The anti-reflection layer can reduce reflection from the conductive layer during the photolithography process.