Abstract: A surface acoustic wave (SAW) device is provided which includes a piezoelectric substrate, an input transducer formed on the substrate for launching acoustic surface waves along a propagation path on the substrate, an output transducer formed on the substrate across the propagation path from the input transducer for receiving acoustic surface waves generated by the input transducer, and at least one area of acoustic energy absorbing material, preferably polyimide, formed on the substrate between the edge of the substrate and a corresponding transducer. The acoustic absorber is patterned on the SAW device substrate while the device is still in wafer form using photolithographic processing techniques.