Thin film saw filter including doped electrodes

Abstract

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter includes a monocrystalline substrate, such as sapphire, having a surface and an epitaxial piezoelectric layer disposed on the surface of the substrate. The piezoelectric layer is a semiconductor material that is relatively heavily doped in regions at the interface between the substrate and the piezoelectric layer. The heavily doped regions functions as electrodes. Because the electrodes at the interface are made of the same material as the piezoelectric layer, there is no disturbance of the crystallinity of the piezoelectric layer during its deposition and thermal stresses during use are substantially reduced.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.