Dispersion and attenuation of surface acoustic waves of shear horizontal polarization on a free surface of a hexagonal crystal with a structurally damaged isotropic surface layer

The phase velocity dispersion and the inverse attenuation length of surface acoustic waves of shear horizontal polarization propagating along a free flat (smooth) surface of a hexagonal crystal (Z cut) in the presence of a thin (compared to the wavelength) structurally damaged surface layer are found in the analytical form. It is shown that, in the long-wavelength limit (the wavelength is large compared to the characteristic size of layer inhomogeneities), which is of the greatest interest to experimenters, the change in the phase velocity dispersion and the change in the inverse attenuation length are proportional to the third and sixth powers of the wave frequency, respectively. The inverse attenuation length is numerically calculated.     

Rayleigh wave dispersion and attenuation on a statistically rough free surface of a hexagonal crystal

Dispersion and attenuation of Rayleigh surface acoustic waves on a statistically rough free surface of a Z-cut hexagonal crystal were analytically studied using a modified mean-field method within the perturbation theory. Numerical calculations were carried out in the frequency range accessible for the perturbation theory using expressions for the real and imaginary parts of the complex frequency shift of Rayleigh waves caused by a slight surface roughness. The Rayleigh wave dispersion and attenuation in the Z-cut hexagonal crystal were shown to coincide qualitatively with those in an isotropic medium, differing only quantitatively. In the long-wavelength limit λ?a, where a is the lateral roughness correlation length, explicit analytical expressions for the relative change in the phase velocity and the inverse damping depth of Rayleigh waves were derived and used in numerical calculations.     

Effect of the structurally damaged surface layer of an isotropic solid on Rayleigh wave dispersion and damping

The effect of the structurally damaged isotropic surface layer on the free surface of an isotropic solid on the Rayleigh wave propagation has been considered. The phase velocity dispersion and inverse Rayleigh wave decay length in the second order of vanishing with respect to the ratio of the structurally damaged layer thickness to the wavelength have been obtained in an analytical form. For the dispersion and the inverse wave decay length, the long-wave limit has been studied when the wavelength is much larger than the characteristic size of layer inhomogeneity. The inverse decay length has been calculated numerically.     

Dispersion and attenuation of Rayleigh waves at a one-dimensional random roughness of the free surface of a hexagonal crystal

Analytical expressions are derived for dispersion and attenuation of Rayleigh waves propagating along the statistically rough free surface of a hexagonal crystal (Z cut). The roughness under consideration is one-dimensional (the profile function of the roughness depends on one coordinate) and has the form of hollows of a random lattice. The results obtained earlier in the solution of an analogous problem for a two-dimensional roughness are used in the one-dimensional case. The relationships derived for the dispersion and attenuation of Rayleigh waves are treated analytically and numerically over the entire range of frequencies acceptable in the framework of the perturbation theory. It is shown that the dispersion and attenuation of Rayleigh waves are qualitatively similar to those observed in an isotropic medium.     

Dispersion and attenuation of surface shear acoustic waves with horizontal polarization on the free statistically rough surface of the hexagonal crystal

Expressions for dispersion of the phase velocity and inverse damping depth of surface acoustic waves with shear horizontal polarization are derived in an analytical form within perturbation theory using the modified mean-field method for the Z-cut hexagonal crystal with a free statically rough surface. Both two-and one-dimensionally rough surfaces are considered. The one-dimensionally rough surface is considered as a special case of the two-dimensionally rough surface. It is shown that shear surface waves with horizontal polarization cannot exist on the flat surface of the Z-cut hexagonal crystal. The derived expressions are studied analytically and numerically in the entire frequency range accessible in perturbation theory. The long-wavelength limit (most interesting from the experimental point of view) is considered, where the wavelength is much longer than the roughness correlation radius. The conditions for the existence of SH-polarized waves are determined for both roughness types. It is shown that dispersion and attenuation of SH polarized waves are qualitatively similar in character to those we considered previously for an isotropic medium.     

Reflection of surface acoustic waves in the bulk of a hexagonal single crystal

It has been shown that surface acoustic waves in some hexagonal crystals can include not only the waves outgoing from the surface into the bulk of the crystal but also the reflected waves, i.e., those coming from the bulk of an infinite single crystal. The outgoing and reflected waves decay exponentially with the distance from the surface. It has been found that the reflected wave can exist if the velocity of its propagation is below the critical value, which does not exist for some crystals. The numerical calculations have shown in what real hexagonal crystals the reflected wave can exist. The values of the critical velocity have been found for a number of hexagonal crystals.     

Attenuation and dispersion of Rayleigh waves propagating on a cracked surface: an effective field approach

A new effective field approach describing the attenuation and dispersion of a Rayleigh wave propagating on a surface containing a distribution of one-dimensional, surface-breaking cracks is presented. Limited by the validity of the independent scattering approximation, the model utilizes the complex transmission coefficient of a single crack to build expressions for the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of an effective Rayleigh wave. The model is shown to be able to accommodate the effect of compressive residual stresses that tend to close the distributed cracks at their mouth, and therefore substantially reduce the attenuation and the velocity change caused by an equivalent distribution of open cracks. Wherever possible, the predictions of the new model are compared with those of other approaches and critical remarks are offered which discuss the advantages of the effective field approach over the others. Finally, an extension of this approach to distributions of two-dimensional surface-breaking cracks is outlined.     

Excitation of Rayleigh and Stoneley surface acoustic waves by distributed seismic sources

Using the integral Fourier-transform technique, we obtain a solution in integral form to the problem of excitation of elastic waves in a homogeneous isotropic solid half-space and the bordering homogeneous gas by the time-dependent forces which are arbitrarily distributed in a solid over the plane parallel to the interface of the media. Different configurations of the force sources are analyzed from the viewpoint of excitation of different types of seismoacoustic waves. Expressions for the time-averaged radiated powers of the Stoneley wave at the gas–solid interface and the Rayleigh wave at the solid–vacuum interface as well as analytical expressions for the Rayleigh wave displacements, which are valid for large distances from the source, are obtained for the harmonic dependence of forces on time. Excitation of a Rayleigh wave by the point sources oriented vertically, i.e., along the normal to the surface of elastic half-space, and horizontally, i.e., parallel to this surface, is analyzed in detail. Analytical expressions for the Rayleigh-wave radiated power are obtained. The dependences of these powers on the source orientation and depth are derived. It is shown that the Rayleigh-wave radiated power decreases with distance between the point of the force application and the boundary and turns to zero for a source depth of about 17.5% of the wavelength of the transverse wave in the case of a horizontally oriented subsurface source and a medium with identical Lamé parameters λ and μ. This power increases and reaches a relative maximum when the source depth becomes equal to about 42.4% of the wavelength of the transverse wave and then exponentially falls off as the source depth increases. This maximum is about 5.5% of the surface-source radiated power.     

Application of negative velocity dispersion curves to the distinction between layer and substrate Rayleigh waves

This work concerns the investigation of loading layers/substrate structures in order to determine the critical thickness at which Rayleigh wave characteristics of layers can be completely distinguished from those of the substrates. To do so, we first calculate Rayleigh velocity dispersion curves of several thin film materials (about thirty) deposited on different slow and fast substrates (Be, Al₂O₃, AlN, Si, SiO₂, Mg, SiC, TiN, WC and Pyrex). Then, from the beginning of curve saturation (corresponding to the onset of intrinsic layer characteristics) we deduced normalized thickness transition for all layers/substrates combinations. Thus, we were able to deduce an analytical linear expression relating the critical thickness to combined effects of densities and velocities of both layers and substrates. Such a simple relation can be used, as an alternative method, to predict the transition critical thickness for any layer/substrate combination without the usual lengthy calculation of dispersion curves. To cite this article: Z. Hadjoub et al., C. R. Physique 9 (2008).     

Dielectric response of a crystal with a damaged surface layer in the longitudinal-transverse splitting region

A model of the dielectric function of a surface layer formed under the mechanical treatment of the crystal surface is considered in the range of the lattice optical vibrations. An approach is proposed based on the continuous distribution of the dipole-active modes in order to take into account the dislocation effect. It is demonstrated that the model used allows one to describe satisfactorily the decrease in the reflectivity of polished SiC6H samples in the vicinity of the frequency of the transverse optical phonon.     

Time delay temperature behaviour of surface acoustic waves propagation on crystal substrate

A method is described for the computation of the time delay temperature behaviour for surface acoustic waves propagated in a surface layer of piezoelectric crystals. The linear field equations for small vibration superposed on thermally induced deformation were employed in the determination of the time delay temperature behaviour. The computed time delay temperature dependence of the surface acoustic waves propagated in the digonal axis direction on the ZX-cut quartz plate is given as an example.     

Study of the sorption processes in a piezoelectric-molecularly imprinted polymer film structure using Rayleigh surface acoustic waves

The sorption processes in a piezoelectric-molecularly imprinted polymer film structure, where the polymer is synthesized from the monomers of bisphenol-A glycerolate diacrylate using imprinted morpholine molecules as template molecules, are experimentally studied with Rayleigh surface acoustic waves at a frequency of 120 MHz. The desorption processes for morpholine are found to be anomalously slow as compared to other analytes under study. The possibility of the application of the results obtained for creating selective chemical sensors based on surface acoustic waves is discussed.     

Interference acoustical method for measuring velocity,attenuation and reflection of acoustic surface waves

An interference acoustical method for measuring velocity, attenuation and reflection of acoustic surface waves was developed. Applications to diagnostics and nondestructive testing of acoustic surface wave devices are discussed.     

Characteristic features of the velocity dispersion of surface acoustic waves in anisotropic coated solids

Basic patterns of the velocity versus wavenumber dispersion of the surface waves in solids coated by a relatively light or dense, "slow" or "fast" layer are discussed in the general case of an arbitrary anisotropy of substrate and coating materials. The onset of the subsonic wave branch, characterized by either a speeding or a slowing trend, is examined. Competitive tendencies, which pertain to the low-frequency dispersion in the case of dense "fast" layer, are revealed.     

Focussed surface acoustic waves on an anisotropic crystal, studied by optical probing

Efficient focussing of surface acoustic waves has been achieved using a properly shaped gold film deposit on the −22.3° rotated Y-cut surface of quartz. The acoustic wave field was studied with laser probing techniques. A more than threefold increase in intensity and a tenfold decrease in beam width was observed at the focal point. The focussing action was obtained with the elastic wave equivalent of the Fresnel phase-reversal zone plate of optics. The multiple foci of this device allowed a simultaneous generation of acoustic waves in nearly all directions on the surface. Consequently, the surface wave velocity anisotropy could be determined completely. The experimental results are in very good agreement with the calculated velocity anisotropy. Electromagnetic diffraction theory is adopted to the two dimensional anisotropic system to analyse the performance of the focussing device.     

Two-dimensional analysis of the effect of an electrode layer on surface acoustic waves in a finite anisotropic plate

The effect of a metal layer over an elastic substrate on surface acoustic wave propagating in the structure can be evaluated precisely for semi-infinite solids and infinite plates, but there is no accurate analytical solution if the finite size of the plate has to be considered. By expanding displacements with eigensolutions of surface acoustic waves in a semi-inifite solid, a set of two-dimensional equations similar to the Mindlin plate theory are obtained. Then for a thin electrode layer, the effect is considered through the approximation of displacements in the metal layer with the ones in the substrate, and an integration over the thickness incorporated the properties of the metal layer into equations through the modification of material properties with the decaying indices of surface acoustic waves and the thickness of the metal layer. Using AT-cut quartz crystal as the substrate, we present the effect of silver electrode layers of finite thickness on the phase velocity of propagating surface acoustic waves.     

Temperature-dependent attenuation of surface acoustic waves in proton-exchanged 128°-rotated Y-cut LiNbO3

3 has been experimentally studied in the frequency range 100 to 460 MHz and in the temperature range 90 to 300 K. At room temperature, the proton exchange leads to the considerable enhancement of acoustic attenuation as compared to the pure samples. Annealing in air, in general, reduces the attenuation. However, an anomalous enhancement of the attenuation at several frequencies for particular conditions of annealing is observed. When the temperature is reduced, the attenuation decreases practically to zero in as-exchanged samples. In the annealed ones, the attenuation attains a minimum in the vicinity of 160 K, and begins to grow at lower temperatures. A sharp peak in the attenuation is observed at 210 K. Several different physical mechanisms including acousto-protonic interaction and structural phase transition seem to be responsible for the observed acoustic attenuation behaviour. Received: 17 July 1996/Accepted: 2 December 1996     

Quasi elasto-electromagnetic surface waves on a piezo-plasma-like layer

Considering a piezo-plasma-like layer with finite thickness and hexagonal symmetry whose main symmetry axis is parallel to the z axis and approximating it by an isotropic medium, we study the coupling of the elastic wave with plasma properties of the medium with and without spatial dispersion and collisions. In this case we investigate the coupled surface quasi elasto-electromagnetic wave propagating on the interface of piezoelectric layer with vacuum. Furthermore, the coupling of elasticity and ion-acoustic waves is investigated.     

Quasi elasto-electromagnetic surface waves on a piezo-plasma-like layer

Considering a piezo-plasma-like layer with finite thickness and hexagonal symmetry whose main symmetry axis is parallel to the z axis and approximating it by an isotropic medium, we study the coupling of the elastic wave with plasma properties of the medium with and without spatial dispersion and collisions. In this case we investigate the coupled surface quasi elasto-electromagnetic wave propagating on the interface of piezoelectric layer with vacuum. Furthermore, the coupling of elasticity and ion-acoustic waves is investigated.     

Ultrasonic attenuation of surface acoustic waves in a thin film of superconducting Nb3Sn

The attenuation of 660 MHz surface acoustic waves propagating in a thin film of Nb₃Sn 5000 Å thick has been measured as a function of temperature from 4.2 K to 16 K. The A 15 Nb₃Sn, electron-beam codeposited on YZ lithium niobate and annealed at 700°C, was studied using 5.1 μm wavelength interdigital electrodes. The film revealed a transition temperature of 14.2 ± 0.1 K and using the BCS theory, an energy gap 2Δ(0) = 3.5 k_BT_c.