Work

Multidimensional control of surface acoustic wave generation via programmable interdigital transducer arrays

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Fixed interdigital transducers (IDTs) are commonly limited to only generate a single type of surface acoustic wave (SAW). Here, we present a programmable IDT array architecture for multidimensional SAW generation, based on standard and chirped IDT array designs. Forty independently addressable IDT units are each modulated by a double-pole-double-throw switch to enable binary phase inversion. This system generates diverse SAW waveforms including non-diffracting Airy SAWs and dynamically focused SAWs. We achieve two-dimensional focus manipulation with sub-wavelength precision and extended focal depth, enabled by time-division multiplexing with chirped IDTs. By combining spatial phase encoding with spectral frequency multiplexing, our approach demonstrates multidimensional control over SAW generation, providing a platform for adaptive acoustic field control in applications such as reconfigurable microfluidics, tuneable metamaterials, and multifrequency sensing systems. Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are commonly generated with interdigital transducers (IDTs) on a piezoelectric substrate, lacking dynamic reconfigurability. Here, authors develop a programmable IDT array architecture enabling spatial and spectral control over SAW generation, demonstrating non-diffracting Airy SAWs and dynamically focused SAWs.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-71772-7