X-ray topographic study of quartz cavities with a triple electrode

AT-cut quartz cavities with a triple electrode have been studied. Their main advantage over cavities with an orthogonally directed electric field is that the triple electrode hinders excitation of vibrations on the first mechanical harmonic. A comparison of the parameters of different cavities shows that, in the case of their excitation on the first harmonic, the equivalent resistance of triple-electrode cavities is higher by a factor of 24, their equivalent inductance is higher by a factor of 3, and their Q factor is lower by a factor of 12 compared to the corresponding parameters of conventional cavities. When working on the third harmonic, the parameters of triple-electrode cavity are comparable with those of cavities with an orthogonally directed electric field. An X-ray topographic study of the vibrations of piezoelectric cells in triple-electrode cavities showed a pronounced vibration antinode on the third harmonic, located at the plate center, whereas the corresponding first-harmonic antinode is distorted and diffuse. The values of the Q factor of element vibrations on these harmonics differ by a factor of almost 8. Thus, the use of a triple electrode provides optimal conditions for cavity operation on the third harmonic. There is no need to use any other tools (e.g., introduce an additional resistor) to suppress the first harmonic.