HIGH-RESOLUTION VISUALIZATION OF ACOUSTIC-WAVE FIELDS WITHIN SURFACE-ACOUSTIC-WAVE DEVICES

We present the submicron visualization of surface acoustic wave (SAW) fields within interdigital transducers (IDTs) obtained by a scanning a coustic force microscope. Utilizing the nonlinear force curve of the t ip-to-surface interaction, a periodic deflection of the cantilever app ears when the SAWs are excited intermittently. This deflection depends on the amplitude of the surface oscillation and was measured by lock- in technique. SAWs with operating frequencies above 600 MHz were detec ted. The influence of the mass loading on the local oscillation amplit ude was studied for various layer thicknesses of the IDT electrodes. ( C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.