A surface acoustic wave device comprising a base substrate, a piezoelectric layer and an electrode layer in between the piezoelectric layer and the base substrate, a comb electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer comprising a plurality of electrode means with a pitch p, defined asp=A, with A being the wavelength of the standing acoustic wave generated by applying opposite potentials to the electrode layer and comb electrode, wherein the piezoelectric layer comprises at least one region located in between the electrode means, in which at least one physical parameter is different compared to the region underneath the electrode means or fingers. A method of fabrication for such surface acoustic wave device is also disclosed. The physical parameter may be thickness, elasticity, doping concentration of Ti or number of protons obtained by proton exchange.