Design technique for nonlinear phase SAW filters using slanted finger interdigital transducers.

This paper describes a useful design technique to achieve a nonlinear phase SAW filter using slanted finger interdigital transducers (SFITs) or tapered interdigital transducers which are suitable for wide-band filters in intermediate frequency stages. A required nonlinear phase response in the passband can be obtained by changing center-to-center distances between input and output SFITs along an axis perpendicular to the SAW propagation axis. The design is based on a building-block approach in the frequency domain. A nonlinear phase SAW filter with a center frequency of 70 MHz and a fractional bandwidth of about 10% is demonstrated on x-cut 112.2 degrees y-propagating LiTaO(3 ). Because the substrate has a power flow angle of 1.55 degrees, the SFIT pattern is tilted along that angle. Good agreement between theoretical and experimental results is obtained.