A method of manufacturing an acoustic wave device is provided. The method of manufacturing the acoustic wave device comprises providing a layer of piezoelectric material, disposing a pair of interdigital transducer electrodes on an upper surface of the layer of piezoelectric material, each interdigital transducer electrode including a bus bar and a plurality of electrode fingers extending from the bus bar towards an edge region of the interdigital transducer electrode at the distal ends of the electrode fingers, and etching trench portions into the upper surface of the layer of piezoelectric material, the trench portions overlapping with the edge regions of the interdigital transducer electrodes. The formation of the trench portions through etching results in an easier fabrication, that is less likely to damage the interdigital transducer electrodes.