The great
wave detectives!
They can tell
apart radio waves
by how they move.
SAW Filters
LIBRARY
#05
Profile
- I only let in the radio waves you need.
- I can tell radio waves apart from their small differences!
The Power of SAW Filters
I protect you from radio waves you don’t need!
“Filters” are powerful parts that stop bad things from getting through, but let in things you need.
Masks, for example, are filters that let in air but block dust and viruses.
In the same way, SAW filters block radio waves you don’t need, and let in ones you do need.
The Secret of the Power of SAW Filters
They sort radio waves by differences in their ripples!
Surface acoustic waves (SAW) are like the circular ripples that spread out from where a stone falls into water.
SAW filters use an electrode to take in radio waves caught on a circuit board. The electrode only lets past the surface acoustic waves that are needed, and guards against the rest.
Friends of SAW Filters
Switches
SAW filters are used in many antennas.
A lot of the time they are together with parts called “switches”.
SAW filters sort radio waves, and only let the right ones into the circuit with the switch. They make a good team.
Trivia
Why do radio waves turn into surface acoustic waves?
A piezoelectric substrate can turn radio waves into motion. It vibrates and turns them into surface acoustic waves!
QUESTION
Radio waves are waves of electrical energy that go through the air. Wi-Fi™, GPS, and 4G and 5G phones all use them.
Microwave ovens also cook food with the power of radio waves.
Find the SAW Filter!
