Transducer structure for source suppression in saw filter devices

1. A transducer structure for a surface acoustic wave device, formed on an acoustic wave propagating substrate, the transducer structure being configured for coupling to an electrical load and/or source, comprising:

a pair of inter-digitated comb electrodes formed on the acoustic wave propagating substrate, wherein the pair of inter-digitated comb electrodes comprises neighboring electrode means belonging to different comb electrodes and having a pitch p being defined as an edge-to-edge electrode means distance between two neighboring electrode means, the pitch p satisfying a Bragg condition given by p=λ/2,λ being an operating acoustic wavelength of the transducer structure, and wherein the electrode means all have a same geometry;

wherein the pair of inter-digitated comb electrodes comprises at least one region in which two or more neighboring electrode means belong to the same comb electrode while having an edge-to-edge distance to each other corresponding to the pitch p and having the same geometry; and

wherein the acoustic wave propagating substrate is a composite substrate comprising at least a base substrate of a first material and a top layer of a piezoelectric material with a thickness being more than one wavelength of the operating acoustic wavelength.

2. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one region comprises a plurality of regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

3. The transducer structure according to claim 2 , wherein regions of the plurality of regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode are not periodically distributed.

4. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode means is an electrode finger, or split fingers comprising two or more adjacent electrode fingers at a same potential.

5. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one region with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode comprises an even number of neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

6. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one region with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode comprises an odd number of neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

7. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one region comprises at least two regions and the number of neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode is different amongst the at least two regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

8. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode are provided on both comb electrodes.

9. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric layer is Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO 3 ) or Lithium Niobate (LiNbO 3 ).

10. The transducer structure according to claim 9 , wherein the piezoelectric layer is Lithium Niobate LiNbO 3 with a crystal orientation defined according to standard IEEE 1949 Std-176 as (YXI)/∂ with 36°<∂<52° or 60°<∂<68° or 120°<∂<140°, or as (YXt)/Ψ with 85°<Ψ<95°, or as (YXwlt)/ϕ∂Ψ with ϕ=90°, −30°<∂<+45° and 0°Ψ<45°.

11. The transducer structure according to claim 9 , wherein the piezoelectric layer is Lithium Tantalate LiTaO 3 with a crystal orientation defined according to standard IEEE 1949 Std-176 as (YXI)/∂ with 36°<∂<52°.

12. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first material of the base substrate has a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than a thermal expansion coefficient of the piezoelectric material.

13. A surface acoustic wave filter device comprising at least one transducer structure according to claim 1 .

14. The transducer structure according to claim 1 , wherein the first material of the base substrate and the piezoelectric material have different temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF).

15. A transducer structure for a surface acoustic wave device, formed on an acoustic wave propagating substrate, the transducer structure being configured for coupling to an electrical load and/or source, comprising:

a pair of inter-digitated comb electrodes formed on the acoustic wave propagating substrate, wherein the pair of inter-digitated comb electrodes comprises neighboring electrode means belonging to different comb electrodes and having a pitch p being defined as an edge-to-edge electrode means distance between two neighboring electrode means, the pitch p satisfying a Bragg condition given by p=λ/2, λ being an operating acoustic wavelength of the transducer structure, and wherein the electrode means all have a same geometry;

wherein the pair of inter-digitated comb electrodes comprises at least two regions in which two or more neighboring electrode means belong to the same comb electrode while having an edge-to-edge distance to each other corresponding to the pitch p and having the same geometry; and

wherein the number of neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode is different amongst at least two regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

16. The transducer structure of claim 15 , wherein the electrode means is an electrode finger, or split fingers comprising two or more adjacent electrode fingers at a same potential.

17. The transducer structure of claim 15 , wherein regions of the at least two regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode are not periodically distributed.

18. The transducer structure of claim 15 , wherein the at least two regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode comprise an even number of neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

19. The transducer structure of claim 15 , wherein the at least two regions with two or more neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode comprises an odd number of neighboring electrode means belonging to the same comb electrode.

20. The transducer of claim 15 , wherein the acoustic wave propagating substrate is a composite substrate comprising at least a base substrate of a first material and a top layer of a piezoelectric material, wherein the piezoelectric layer is Lithium Tantalate (LiTaO3), in particular Lithium Tantalate LiTaO3 with a crystal orientation defined according to standard IEEE 1949 Std-176 as (YXI)/∂ with 36°<∂<52°, or Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3), in particular Lithium Niobate LiNbO3 with a crystal orientation defined according to standard IEEE 1949 Std-176 as (YXI)/∂ with 36°<∂<52° or 60°<∂<68° or 120°<∂<140°, or as (YXt)/ Ψ with 85°<Ψ<95°, or as (YXwlt)/ϕ∂Ψ with ϕ=90°, −30°<∂<+45° and 0°<Ψ<45°, with a thickness being more than one wavelength of the operating acoustic wavelength.

21. The transducer structure of claim 20 , wherein the material of the base substrate and the piezoelectric material have different temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF).

22. The transducer structure of claim 20 , wherein the material of the base substrate has a thermal expansion coefficient smaller than a thermal expansion coefficient of the piezoelectric material.

23. A surface acoustic wave filter device comprising at least one transducer structure according to claim 15 .