Modeling and performance analysis of SAW reader systems for delay-line sensors

In this contribution, we present a comprehensive modeling approach for delay line-based surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor reader systems, which provides valuable insight into the interaction of the individual system parameters. A parametric analysis of signal strength, noise, and quantization effects and consideration of important signal processing parameters, such as data windows and averaging, allows prediction of the achievable statistical measurement accuracy by closed-form solutions. The performance and capabilities of the derived model are verified on system design examples as well as multiple practical measurement scenarios, using a prototype 2.45-GHz frequency-stepped continuous-wave SAW reader system.