Recently, a research team at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences—led by Researcher Ou Xin and Researcher Zhang Shibin from the Heterogeneous Integration XOI Research Group—uncovered a dual-mode natural unidirectional emission phenomenon on piezoelectric heterogeneous substrates. This discovery was made using the LiTaO₃/SiC heterogeneous integration substrate platform.

Leveraging this unique phonon emission characteristic, the team successfully developed an ultra-compact frequency divider. This innovative device utilizes a Dual-Mode Natural Unidirectional Emission Transducer (DMNUDT) to emit surface acoustic waves in two distinct modes: the horizontal shear wave mode (SH SAW) and the longitudinal wave mode (LL SAW). These waves propagate in opposite directions, enabling the spatial separation of frequency signals. Remarkably, the device achieves a signal ratio exceeding 15dB across both frequency bands.

This groundbreaking achievement, which has been published in Nature Communications, holds significant promise for applications in multi-band coordinated communication. Furthermore, it marks a new milestone in the advancement of acousto-optic and quantum devices, opening doors to further innovations in these cutting-edge fields.