P6E-4 Glass Substrate Surface Acoustic Wave Linear Motor

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) linear motor is a kind of ultrasonic motor. The advantages of the SAW linear motor are thin structure, high thrust force, high velocity and precise positioning. However, the stator transducer material (piezoelectric material) of the SAW linear motor has constraints of size and shape. To resolve this problem, a method is proposed to excite and propagate a SAW on a non-piezoelectric material surface. Excitation and propagation of the SAW on the non- piezoelectric material is realized by the combination of a LiNbO₃ plate and a glass substrate. The design and fabrication of the glass substrate transducer for the SAW linear motor are described. The design employs a novel transducer structure, which has been proposed previously. The glass transducer was applied for the SAW linear motor and the motor was driven successfully. Measurement results of the glass transducer and driving characteristics of the glass substrate SAW linear motor are also reported.