Abstract
As power durable RF SAW filters, AL-(0∼2wt%)Cu alloy multi-layered thin electrodes were deposited on 42° LiTaO$_3$ piezoelectric substrates by magnetron sputtering process, and then ladder-type RF SAW filters, satisfying the electrical specification of CDMA transmission band, were fabricated through optimizing SAW resonator structures. The temperature of film electrodes in SAW filter was increased with RF power, and reached the maxima to cause a failure of SAW filters at the cut-off frequencies of the RF filter band. As RF power increases, the electrodes of Al-Cu alloy showed higher power durability than that of pure Al. The multi-layer laminated film of Al-1wt.% Cu/Cu/Al-1wt%Cu resulted in the best power durability up to 4W of RF power. Every film electrode, however, was destroyed within seconds whenever applying a critical RF power to SAW filters, regardless of the composition and structure of film electrodes. The breakdown of film electrodes under FR power seems to believe due to the fatigue of electrodes caused by repetitive cyclic stress of surface acoustic wave, which is amplified as RF power increases.
