Continuous surface wave device

Claim 2

A surface wave device comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is a nonplanar surface; said nonplanar surface portion being capable of supporting surface acoustic waves traveling thereon; and electrode means disposed on said surface of said substrate having an input electrode portion for launching said surface waves on said substrate predominantly along a directional path comprising said nonplanar surface portion and an output electrode portion for deriving electrical signals from said surface waves.

Claim 3

A surface wave device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said input and output electrode portions comprise interdigital electrode comb arrays, each of which comprises a plurality of interdigital elements.

Claim 4

A surface wave device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays are at an angle to the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface wave.

Claim 5

A surface wave device comprising: a substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is nonplanar, at least the major portion of said substrate comprising a single crystal piezoelectric body; said nonplanar surface portion being capable of supporting a surface acoustic wave; means disposed on said surface of said substrate for transmitting said surface acoustic wave along said surface and for deriving a signal from said wave; and the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface acoustic wave being predominantly along a nonreentrant path through said nonplanar surfaCe portion.

Claim 6

A surface wave device comprising: a substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is nonplanar, at least the major portion of said substrate comprising a single crystal piezoelectric body; said nonplanar surface portion being capable of supporting a surface acoustic wave; means disposed on said surface of said substrate for transmitting said surface acoustic wave along said surface and for deriving a signal from said wave; and the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface acoustic wave being predominantly along a nonreentrant path through said nonplanar surfaCe portion.

Claim 7

A surface wave device comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is nonplanar; said surface being capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling thereon; electrode means disposed on said surface of said substrate; said electrode means including an input electrode portion for launching a surface wave on said substrate and an output electrode portion; said input and output electrode means being interdigital electrode comb arrays, each of which comprises a plurality of interdigital portions spaced from each other in accordance with the desired frequency response; the individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays extending perpendicular to the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface wave; and the locus of the midpoints of said individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays lying in a path at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said substrate such that said launched acoustic wave travels in a spiral path on said surface.

Claim 8

A surface wave device comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is nonplanar; said surface being capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling thereon; electrode means disposed on said surface of said substrate; said electrode means including an input electrode portion for launching a surface wave on said substrate and an output electrode portion; said input and output electrode means being interdigital electrode comb arrays, each of which comprises a plurality of interdigital portions spaced from each other in accordance with the desired frequency response; the individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays extending perpendicular to the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface wave; and the locus of the midpoints of said individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays lying in a path at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said substrate such that said launched acoustic wave travels in a spiral path on said surface.

Claim 9

A surface wave device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said substrate is configured as a cylindroid.

Claim 10

A surface wave device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said surface wave substrate is configured as a cylinder.

Claim 11

A surface wave device comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is nonplanar; said surface being capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling thereon; electrode means disposed on said surface of said substrate; said electrode means including an input electrode portion for launching a surface wave on said substrate and an output electrode portion; said input and output electrode means being interdigital electrode comb arrays, each of which comprises a plurality of interdigital portions spaced from each other in accordance with the desired frequency response; and the individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays being at an angle to the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface wave, and the locus of the midpoints of said individual interdigital electrode portions of said electrode arrays lying in a path at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said substrate such that said launched acoustic wave travels in a spiral path on said surface.

Claim 12

A surface wave device comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate having a surface at least a portion of which is nonplanar; said surface being capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling thereon; electrode means disposed on said surface of said substrate; said electrode means including an input electrode portion for launching a surface wave on said substrate and an output electrode portion; said input and output electrode means being interdigital electrode comb arrays, each of which comprises a plurality of interdigital portions spaced from each other in accordance with the desired frequency response; and the individual interdigital portions of said electrode arrays being at an angle to the direction of propagation of said transmitted surface wave, and the locus of the midpoints of said individual interdigital electrode portions of said electrode arrays lying in a path at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said substrate such that said launched acoustic wave travels in a spiral path on said surface.

Claim 13

A surface wave device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said substrate is configured as a cylindroid.

Claim 14

A surface wave device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said substrate is configured as a cylinder.

Claim 15

A surface wave delay line comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling on the surface of said substrate; said surface including at least a portion which is nonplanar; first interdigital electrode array means disposed upon said surface of said piezoelectric substrate for directionally launching an acoustic surface wave thereon predominantly along a surface path which includes said nonplanar surface portion; and said launched acoustic wave being received by second interdigital electrode array means after traversing said surface a plurality of times.

Claim 16

A surface wave delay line comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling on the surface of said substrate; said surface including at least a portion which is nonplanar; first interdigital electrode array means disposed upon said surface of said piezoelectric substrate for directionally launching an acoustic surface wave thereon predominantly along a surface path which includes said nonplanar surface portion; and said launched acoustic wave being received by second interdigital electrode array means after traversing said surface a plurality of times.

Claim 17

A surface wave delay line comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling on the surface of said substrate, said surface including at least portions which are nonplanar; interdigital electrode array means disposed upon said surface of said piezoelectric substrate for launching an acoustic wave thereon; said launched acoustic wave being received by said interdigital electrode array after traversing said surface a predetermined number of times; and the electrode means being disposed at an angle to the longitusinal axis of said substrate such that launched electro-acoustic waves traversing said surface travel in a spiral path on said surface and laterally progress along said substrate.

Claim 18

A surface wave delay line comprising: a single crystal piezoelectric substrate capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling on the surface of said substrate, said surface including at least portions which are nonplanar; interdigital electrode array means disposed upon said surface of said piezoelectric substrate for launching an acoustic wave thereon; said launched acoustic wave being received by said interdigital electrode array after traversing said surface a predetermined number of times; and the electrode means being disposed at an angle to the longitusinal axis of said substrate such that launched electro-acoustic waves traversing said surface travel in a spiral path on said surface and laterally progress along said substrate.

Claim 19

A surface wavE delay line in accordance with claim 12 wherein said substrate is a cylindroid.

Claim 20

A surface wave delay line in accordance with claim 12 wherein said substrate is cylindrical.

Claim 21

In combination: a solid body comprising a single crystal capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling on a surface thereof such that said acoustic waves propagate around said solid body at least twice; and electrode means disposed on said surface, said electrode means including an input electrode portion and an output electrode portion for launching and receiving said surface wave, said electrodes being angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of said solid body such that with each propagation of a wave around said solid body said launched acoustic surface wave is displaced a predetermined amount along said axis.

Claim 22

In combination: a solid body comprising a single crystal capable of supporting acoustic waves traveling on a surface thereof such that said acoustic waves propagate around said solid body at least twice; and electrode means disposed on said surface, said electrode means including an input electrode portion and an output electrode portion for launching and receiving said surface wave, said electrodes being angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of said solid body such that with each propagation of a wave around said solid body said launched acoustic surface wave is displaced a predetermined amount along said axis.

Claim 23

A combination in accordance with claim 15 wherein said solid body is a cylinder.

Claim 24

A combination in accordance with claim 15 wherein said substrate is a cylindroid.