Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
An improved surface acoustic wave variable delay line comprising: a piezoelectric and semiconductive substrate; a rectifying contact disposed on a surface of said substrate; a pair of acoustoelectric transducers disposed on said substrate at opposite ends of said contact for launching and detecting piezoelectric surface acoustic waves in said substrate beneath and contact at frequencies within a design range of frequencies; a source of variable voltage connected to said contact for altering the concentration of carriers in said substrate, whereby variations in said voltage alter the potential and velocity of the surface acoustic wave in said substrate; in which the improvement comprises: said rectifying contact being segmented, to thereby provide control over carrier concentration between and beneath the segments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
An improved surface acoustic wave variable delay line comprising: a piezoelectric and semiconductive substrate; a rectifying contact disposed on a surface of said substrate; a pair of acoustoelectric transducers disposed on said substrate at opposite ends of said contact for launching and detecting piezoelectric surface acoustic waves in said substrate beneath and contact at frequencies within a design range of frequencies; a source of variable voltage connected to said contact for altering the concentration of carriers in said substrate, whereby variations in said voltage alter the potential and velocity of the surface acoustic wave in said substrate; in which the improvement comprises: said rectifying contact being segmented, to thereby provide control over carrier concentration between and beneath the segments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A variable delay line according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises an insulating piezoelectric layer disposed on a semiconductive material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A variable delay line according to claim 2 wherein said source of variable tuning voltage is capable of providing a voltage to said rectifying contact sufficient to provide carrier concentration at the interface between said semiconductive material and said piezoelectric layer to substantially short circuit said interface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
A variable delay line according to claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a monolithic piezoelectric and semiconductive material having a semiconducting layer extending from said surface into said substrate to a depth on the order of a wavelength of a surface acoustic wave at a frequency within said design range of frequencies in said material, and wherein said source of variable tuning voltage is capable of providing a voltage to said rectifying contact sufficient to deplete the carrier concentration in said semiconducting layer to render said layer semi-insulating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
A variable delay line according to claim 4 additionally comprising an amplifier formed integrally in said semiconducting layer, and conductors disposed on said surface for connecting the input of said amplifier to one of said acoustoelectric transducers and for connecting the output of said amplifier to the other of said acoustoelectric transducers, said variable delay line thereby being integrally formed into a monolithic voltage controlled oscillator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
A variable delay line according to claim 1 additionally comprising an amplifier formed integrally in said substrate, and conductors disposed on said surface for connecting the input of said amplifier to one of said acoustoelectric transducers and for connecting the output of said amplifier to the other of said acoustoelectric transducers, said variable delay line thereby being integrally formed into a monolithic voltage controlled oscillator.