Design and characterization of SAW filters for high power performance

Driven by the need for high data-rates and improved cell coverage, mobile phone filters are required to process increasingly high RF power levels. The simultaneous demand for smaller filter footprints makes designing a filter for high-power performance a challenge. We report a method for simulating the self-heating effects of high input powers on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter. We also report gain compression measurements and infrared microscopy to validate the model.