Surface Wave Device Applications in Microwave Communication Systems

The application of certain prototype devices, already realized in the complementary surface acoustic wave (SAW) and magnetostatic wave (MSW) technologies, is examined in the context of analogue and digital microwave communications equipments. The specifications of Gaussian response IF bandpass filters and satellite channel multiplexing filters are detailed in the context of SAW designs. Extensions of SAW filter technology to the construction of IF remodulating modems incorporating frequency modulated oscillators and discriminators are examined. Stable SAW oscillators are also reviewed in the context of lightweight, rugged, spacequalified local oscillator drives. The application of MSW technology to the design of a group delay equalizer for millimetric waveguide long-haul digital communications equipments is surveyed. Finally, the paper addresses the design of fixed and variable delay lines realized in both technologies, and SAW code generators, for application to path-length equalization and test{ng of high data rate microwave radio relay systems, respectively.