Method and means for coupling a multiplicity of surface acoustic wave transducers to a single electromagnetic wave transmission line

The method of coupling a single channel electromagnetic wave transmission line to the input transducers of a surface acoustic wave device having a multiplicity of channels and an input transducer affixed to each channel thereof comprising the steps of

• determining the inductance value L that provides minimum transducer insertion loss at the center frequency of the surface acoustic wave device midband channel,
• initially connecting said input transducers in all possible series, parallel and series-parallel electrical connection arrangements,
• determining as a function of said inductance value L the insertion loss value for each said series, parallel and series-parallel transducer electrical connection arrangement,
• determining the channel to channel insertion loss variation for each said transducer electrical connection arrangement,
• selecting one of said transducer electric connection arrangements that provides minimum insertion loss consistent with prescribed multichannel surface acoustic wave device channel to channel insertion loss variation constraints, and
• connecting said input transducers in said selected electrical connection arrangement to said electromagnetic wave transmission line through an inductor of said inductance value L.