Importance

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Abstract

A continuously variable delay line (10) includes a piezoelectric crystal (12) having an input transducer (14) and an output transducer (16). An input signal is transmitted through input lines (18) to the input transducer (14) and received through output lines (20) from the output transducer (16). The input signal is converted to a surface acoustic wave for transmission across the surface of crystal (12). Control electrodes (22 and 24) are applied to surfaces of the crystal (12) and are connected to control lines (26). A control signal is applied to the control lines (26) to apply an electric field to the crystal (12). The electric field thus applied alters the longitudinal dimensional characteristic of the crystal (12) and thereby controls the propagation distance between the input transducer (14) and the output transducer (16). By varying the propagation distance between the transducers (14, 16) the control signal continuously varies the propagation delay of a signal as it is transmitted across the surface of the crystal (12). Thus, the time delay between the input and output lines is a function of the control signal applied to lines (26).

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First Claim