Sandia Labs FY21 LDRD Annual Report

FY21 ANNUAL REPORT

New radiofrequency acoustic wave mixer to enable all-acoustic signal processors. Within the national security arena, several applications require compact devices that can operate with low power consumption in congested spectral environments. Through this one-year LDRD project, the team developed a radiofrequency acoustic wave mixer device by experimentally investigating the fundamental nonlinear electron-phonon interaction in a heterogeneously integrated compound semiconductor on

a piezoelectric material platform. The successful demonstration of an acoustic frequency conversion with high efficiency completed a final technological hurdle to enable all-acoustic, and therefore, ultra- compact radiofrequency signal processors. (PI: Lisa Hackett) The successful radiofrequency acoustic wave mixer device developed during this LDRD project is a significant step toward enabling ultra-compact radiofrequency signal processors. (Photo by Bret Latter)

Scientists Matt Eichenfield, left, and Lisa Hackett led the team at Sandia that created the world’s smallest and best acoustic amplifier . (Photo by Bret Latter)

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LABORATORY DIRECTED RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT