Voltage- and conductivity-independent mode of operation in thin acoustoelectric oscillators

A new mounting technique has been developed that allows CdS acoustoelectric oscillators to be operated with plate thicknesses between 25 and 40 ¿m. Unlike conventional 200 ¿m-thick devices that generate a variety of spectra, the thin devices oscillate exclusively at mode numbers 3, 6, 9 etc. in a phase-locked series. This spectrum persists even if the voltage or conductivity is varied by more than a factor of three. Oscillations have been observed with applied voltage as low as 2.5 V and total power dissipation below ¿ mW.