Equality of the energy and group velocities of bulk acoustic waves in piezoelectric media

International audienceThe equality of the energy and group velocities of bulk acoustic waves in a lossless piezoelectric medium is demonstrated, with the energy velocity defined from the generalized energy density and the generalized Poynting vector

Interaction of waveguide and localized modes in a phononic crystal

International audienceThe transmission properties ofphononic crystal waveguides with grafted stub resonators were measured. The phononic crystal consists of a two-dimensional periodical array ofsteel rods immersed in water. Waveguides for acoustic waves are created by removing a line defect and stubs are formed by removing rods from the sidewalls of the waveguide. Depending on the stub geometry, definite wavelengths are reflected from the stub creating a one-dimensional bandgap within the waveguide transmission spectrum, the bandwidth ofwhich can be controlled by arranging a proper sequence ofstubs. These effects are interpreted as the interaction ofpropagating waveguide modes with localized stub resonances

Energy storage and dispersion of surface acoustic waves trapped in a periodic array of mechanical resonators

International audienceIt has been shown previously that surface acoustic waves can be efficiently trapped and slowed by steep ridges on a piezoelectric substrate, giving rise to two families of shear-horizontal and vertically polarized surface waves. The mechanisms of energy storage and dispersion are explored by using the finite element method to model surface acoustic waves generated by high aspect ratio electrodes. A periodic model is proposed including a perfectly matched layer to simulate radiation conditions away from the sources, from which the modal distributions are found. The ratio of the mechanical energy confined to the electrode as compared to the total mechanical energy is calculated and is found to be increasing for increasing aspect ratio and to tend to a definite limit for the two families of surface waves. This observation is in support of the interpretation that high aspect ratio electrodes act as resonators storing mechanical energy. These resonators are evanescently coupled by the surface. The dispersion diagram is presented and shows very low group velocities as the wave vector approaches the limit of the first Brillouin zone

Experimental study of guiding and filtering of acoustic waves in a two dimensional ultrasonic crystal

International audienceWe present a combined experimental and theoretical study of the guiding, bending and filtering of acoustic waves in an ultrasonic crystal. The crystal consists of a two-dimensional periodical array of steel rods immersed in water, for wich a complete acoustic band gap extending from 240 to 325 kHz is found experimentally. Waveguides for acoustic waves are further created by removing a line defect, on which stubs can be added by removing rods from the side-walls of the waveguide. Full transmission is observed for a one-period-wide straight waveguide within the full-band-gap of the perfect phononic crystal, i.e. for a waveguide aperture smaller than one acoustic wavelength. Waveguiding over a wide frequency range is also obtained for a one-period-wide waveguide with two sharp 90 bends. Finite-difference time-domain computations are found to be in good agreement with the measurements in all experimental configurations

Full band gap for surface acoustic waves in a piezoelectric phononic crystal

International audienceA plane-wave-expansion method suited to the analysis of surface-acoustic-wave propagation in two-dimensional piezoelectric phononic crystals is described. The surface modes of a square-lattice Y-cut lithium niobate phononic crystal with circular void inclusions with a filling fraction of 63% are identified. It is found that a large full band gap with a fractional bandwidth of 34% exists for surface acoustic waves of any polarization and incidence, coincidentally with the full band gap for bulk waves propagating in the plane of the surface. The excitation of surface acoustic waves by interdigital transducers is discussed

Annular interdigital transducer focuses piezoelectric surface waves to a single point

We propose and demonstrate experimentally the concept of the annular interdigital transducer that focuses acoustic waves on the surface of a piezoelectric material to a single, diffraction-limited, spot. The shape of the transducing fingers follows the wave surface. Experiments conducted on lithium niobate substrates evidence that the generated surface waves converge to the center of the transducer, producing a spot that shows a large concentration of acoustic energy. This concept is of practical significance to design new intense microacoustic sources, for instance for enhanced acouto-optical interactions

Scattering of surface acoustic waves by a phononic crystal revealed by heterodyne interferometry

Surface acoustic wave propagation within a two-dimensional phononic band gapstructure has been studied using a heterodyne laser interferometer.Acoustic waves are launched by interdigital transducers towards a square lattice of holes etched in a piezoelectric medium. Interferometer measurements performed at frequencies lying below, within, and above the expected band gap frequency range provide direct information of the wave interaction with the phononic crystal, revealing anisotropic scattering into higher diffraction orders depending on the apparent grating pitch at the boundary between the phononic crystal and free surface. Furthermore, the measurements also confirm the existence of an elastic band gap, in accordance with previous electrical measurements and theoretical predictions.Peer reviewe

Acoustic channel drop tunneling in a phononic crystal

International audienceWe study both theoretically and experimentally the possibility of resonant tunneling of acoustic waves between two parallel guides created in a phononic crystal composed of steel cylinders in water. In the absolute bandgap of the phononic crystal, ranging from 250 to 325 kHz, a full transmission band exits for propagation inside a straight wave guide. We show that the transfer of a particular wavelength can occur between two parallel wave guides coupled together through an appropriate coupling structure. The latter is composed of isolated cavities interacting with stubs located at the sides of the wave guides