Expanding commercial and military applications crowd the wireless communications frequency band, creating a critical need to expand the band to higher frequencies. The application of newly discovered high velocity pseudo surface acoustic waves (HVPSAWs), has the potential of satisfying the high frequency requirements of the next generation of wireless communications. This CAREER proposal involves an integrated research and education plan for high radio frequency (RF) microwave acoustic devices. The research objective is to identify piezoelectric materials and specific orientations in which HVPSAWs exist, and to design, fabricate, and test prototype HVPSAW filters. Specific research tasks are: (i) search for piezoelectric materials and orientations in which HVPSAWs exist; (ii) characterize theoretical mode propagation; (iii) determine HVPSAW phase velocity, propagation loss, temperature behavior, electromechanical coupling, and power flow angle; (iv) experimentally verify the theoretically predicted HVPSAW properties; develop a theoretical model for the HVPSAW interdigital transducer (IDT) structure, and its experimental verification; (v) model and characterize integral HVPSAW filters structures, such as reflectors, multistrip couplers, guiding structures; (vi) integrate HVPSAW structure components into HVPSAW filter design; and (vii) fabricate and test prototype HVPSAW filters. The educational objective is to provide a learning experience in a fast moving state-of-the-art area to students ranging from high school to graduate level. The learning experience will range from team projects at the high school level to theses at the graduate level. In summary this project will not only provide the necessary research to realize the next generation of wireless communications but also educate students in a very relevant high need technology area which has applications ranging from cellular phones to high speed communication and signal processing systems
