Imaging of surface acoustic waves

A new experimental method has been devised that directly determines the group velocities of surface acoustic waves. A point source and a point detector are employed to measure the ultrasonic transmission across a solid surface as a continuous function of the propagation direction. Results for single pulses give the times-of-flight for both Rayleigh surface waves (RSW's) and pseudo-surface-waves (PSW's). Calculations and measurements of the group velocities of the surface waves on silicon show some unanticipated behavior: fluid loading qualitiatively changes the group velocity curves for both RSW and PSW. In particular, the RSW branch gains an additional component which we denote here as an induced Rayleigh wave (IRW). If a wave train is employed in the experiment, the analog of phonon focusing is observed for the ultrasonic waves, modified by internal-diffraction effects. Systematic measurements of the wave intensities on silicon as a function of propagation distance are consistent with expected acoustic losses into the surrounding water: the attenuation length of a wave depends on the mode and frequency. A survey of surface-wave images on other crystals is included in this study.     

A system for measuring elastic wave velocity under high pressure and high temperature using a combination of ultrasonic measurement and the multi‐anvil apparatus at SPring‐8

An experimental system to measure the elastic wave velocities of hot‐pressed polycrystalline samples at high pressure and high temperature has been installed at SPring‐8. It uses a combination of the ultrasonic pulse‐echo‐overlap method and Kawai‐type multi‐anvil apparatus (SPEED‐1500). X‐ray radiographic imaging enables the sample length to be determined at high pressure and high temperature, which is indispensable for precise determination of elastic wave velocity. Precise measurements of the elastic wave velocities of various minerals have been determined at pressures up to 19 GPa and temperatures up to 1673 K. The experimental technique provides the precise elastic wave velocities of various materials corresponding to those in the Earth's mantle.     

Laser-Doppler Vibrometer measurements of acoustic-to-seismic coupling in unconsolidated soils

Measurements of acoustic-to-seismic coupling ratio, i.e. the ratio of the pressure exerted by an acoustic wave at a point on the surface to the acoustic particle velocity generated at the surface at that point, may be used to determine both elastic and structural properties of poroelastic materials. The sound pressure is measured using a microphone and, usually, the velocities are measured using geophones. Problems with geophone sensors have been shown to include both mass loading of the soil and coupling resonances within the frequency range of interest. The latter can lead to inaccurate amplitude and phase measurements. In an attempt to overcome these problems, the use of a Laser-Doppler vibrometer (LDV) has been investigated. Previous work with compacted plane soil surfaces has been extended to loosely consolidated soils. Good agreement has been found between geophone and LDV measurements of vertical particle velocity for a continuous wave sound source. Problems with poor LDV signal-to-noise ratio in unconsolidated materials have been overcome using local ground treatment. Subsequent modelling shows reasonable agreement between the data and the predicted values of material properties.     

Combining Brillouin spectroscopy and laser-SAW technique for elastic property characterization of thick DLC films

Surface Brillouin spectroscopy (SBS) has been widely used for elastic property characterization of thin films. For films thicker than 500 nm, however, the wavelength of surface acoustic wave in the frequency range available for SBS is smaller than film thickness, and the SBS measures only the Rayleigh wave of the film. The laser-SAW technique, on the other hand, measures only the low-frequency portion of the surface acoustic wave dispersion and can estimate only one elastic modulus of the film (typically Young's modulus). In this work, we have combined the two methods to determine both Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film. It was found that reasonable estimates can be obtained for the longitudinal wave velocity, shear wave velocity, and Young's modulus of the film. The Poisson's ratio, however, still has a relatively large measurement error.     

Combining Brillouin spectroscopy and laser-SAW technique for elastic property characterization of thick DLC films

Surface Brillouin spectroscopy (SBS) has been widely used for elastic property characterization of thin films. For films thicker than 500 nm, however, the wavelength of surface acoustic wave in the frequency range available for SBS is smaller than film thickness, and the SBS measures only the Rayleigh wave of the film. The laser-SAW technique, on the other hand, measures only the low-frequency portion of the surface acoustic wave dispersion and can estimate only one elastic modulus of the film (typically Young's modulus). In this work, we have combined the two methods to determine both Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film. It was found that reasonable estimates can be obtained for the longitudinal wave velocity, shear wave velocity, and Young's modulus of the film. The Poisson's ratio, however, still has a relatively large measurement error.     

单晶硅表面均匀小尺寸金字塔制备及其特性研究

表面织构是一种通过有效的光俘获增加短路电流从而提高太阳电池效率的主要途径之一.在加入间隙式超声和NaClO添加剂的碱性四甲基氢氧化铵(TMAH)溶液中对单晶硅表面进行织构化处理,研究超声与NaClO在织构过程中对金字塔成核和生长的影响,以及金字塔大小对高温工艺之后的单晶硅少子寿命的影响.研究表明,通过在织构溶液中加入间隙式超声控制气泡停留在硅片表面的时间和脱离硅片表面速度,增强了小尺寸金字塔的均匀分布.织构之后硅片在AM1.5G光谱下的加权平均反射率能够达到12.4%,在高温扩散和氧化之后少子寿命的大小与金字塔大小之间存在近似于指数衰减函数的关系. 关键词： 表面织构化 反射率 少子寿命 单晶硅太阳电池     

Characterization of HIFU transducers designed for sonochemistry application: Acoustic streaming

Cavitation distribution in a High Intensity Focused Ultrasound sonoreactors (HIFU) has been extensively described in the recent literature, including quantification by an optical method (Sonochemiluminescence SCL). The present paper provides complementary measurements through the study of acoustic streaming generated by the same kind of HIFU transducers. To this end, results of mass transfer measurements (electrodiffusional method) were compared to optical method ones (Particle Image Velocimetry). This last one was used in various configurations: with or without an electrode in the acoustic field in order to have the same perturbation of the wave propagation. Results show that the maximum velocity is not located at the focal but shifted near the transducer, and that this shift is greater for high powers. The two cavitation modes (stationary and moving bubbles) are greatly affect the hydrodynamic behavior of our sonoreactors: acoustic streaming and the fluid generated by bubble motion. The results obtained by electrochemical measurements show the same low hydrodynamic activity in the transducer vicinity, the same shift of the active focal toward the transducer, and the same absence of activity in the post-focal axial zone. The comparison with theoretical Eckart’s velocities (acoustic streaming in non-cavitating media) confirms a very high activity at the “sonochemical focal”, accounted for by wave distortion, which induced greater absorption coefficients. Moreover, the equivalent liquid velocities are one order of magnitude larger than the ones measured by PIV, confirming the enhancement of mass transfer by bubbles oscillation and collapse close to the surface, rather than from a pure streaming effect.     

Waveform preservation of the backscattered stimulated Brillouin scattering wave by using a prepulse injection

We have found that it is possible to preserve the temporal waveform of the reflected wave generated from stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) by using a prepulse technique. The waveform of the SBS wave usually shows a steep rising edge in the ordinary SBS process. It has been found that the waveform of the reflected wave depends on both the prepulse energy and the time delay between the main pulse and the prepulses. A prepulse energy of 5 mJ and a time delay of 5 ns have been measured to be the optimum values under the experimental conditions. This prepulse method is useful in developing a multistage system employing several SBS cells in series for high-power laser applications.     

Damping in micro-scale generalized thermoelastic circular plate resonators

The out-of-plane vibrations of a generalized thermoelastic circular plate are studied under different environmental temperature, plate dimensions and boundary conditions. The analytical expressions for thermoelastic damping of vibration and phase velocity of circumferential surface wave modes are obtained. It is noticed that the damping of vibrations and phase velocities of circumferential surface wave modes significantly depend on thermal relaxation time in addition to thermoelastic coupling in circular plates under resonance conditions. The surface conditions also impose significant effects on the vibrations of such resonators. The expressions for displacement and temperature fields in the plate resonator are also derived and obtained. Some numerical results have also been presented for illustration purpose in case of silicon material plate.     

Determination of crystallographic orientation of large grain metals with surface acoustic waves

A previously described laser ultrasonic technique known as spatially resolved acoustic spectroscopy (SRAS) can be used to image surface microstructure, using the local surface acoustic wave (SAW) velocity as a contrast mechanism. It is shown here that measuring the SAW velocity in multiple directions can be used to determine the crystallographic orientation of grains. The orientations are determined by fitting experimentally measured velocities to theoretical velocities. Using this technique the orientations of 12 nickel and 3 aluminum single crystal samples have been measured, and these are compared with x-ray Laue backreflection (LBR) measurements with good agreement. The root mean square difference between SRAS and LBR measurements in terms of an R-value is less than 4.1°. The influence of systematic errors in the SAW velocity determination due to instrument miscalibration, which affects the accurate determination of the planes, is discussed. SRAS has great potential for complementary measurements or even for replacing established orientation determination and imaging techniques.     

黑硅材料的制备及其光学特性

采用金催化化学腐蚀和钝化两个过程成功制备了黑硅。利用原子力显微镜、分光光度计、红外光谱仪和光致发光光谱仪分别对黑硅的微观结构、反射率、表面状态和发光性能进行了研究。结果表明:黑硅表面呈现山峰状的微观结构,其平均反射率可低至3.31%。光致发光光谱上出现了3个发光峰,分别由量子限制效应、硅氧烯、杂质和缺陷引起。     

Nonlinear surface acoustic waves: realization of solitary pulses and fracture

A laser-based technique for the contact-free generation and detection of strongly nonlinear surface acoustic wave (SAW) pulses with amplitudes limited by the materials strength has been developed. The effects of nonlinear propagation of short elastic surface pulses with finite strength in isotropic solids, such as fused quartz, anisotropic solids, such as silicon, and dispersive media were investigated. Solitary surface wave propagation was observed in layered structures for normal and anomalous dispersion. In addition, a SAW-based method for evaluating the critical fracture stress of anisotropic brittle solids, such as single crystal silicon, is introduced.     

Numerical study of translational nonequilibrium in an He–Xe mixture by direct simulation Monte Carlo

The distributions of pairs of particles over relative velocities at the shock wave front in He with a small Xe additive have been studied. It has turned out that the values of the distributions over relative velocities for an Xe–Xe atomic pair far (up to 10⁹ times) exceed their equilibrium values behind a shock wave within a narrow part of its front at high velocities of the wave and small Mach numbers (M = 2). This feature is lacking in the distributions of He–Xe atomic pairs over relative velocities.     

Stability of supersonic boundary layer on a porous plate with a flexible coating

The development of disturbances in the boundary layer of compressible gas on a flexible surface has been investigated in the linear and nonlinear approximations (the weakly nonlinear stability theory). The regimes of moderate (the Mach number M = 2) and high (M = 5.35) supersonic velocities as well as a model of a porous wall, on which a flexible film is spanned, have been considered. The boundary conditions for disturbances with regard for their transformation by a flexible porous coating have been derived. The character of the variation of the coefficients of the stream-wise growth of linear oscillations of different nature (the vortex waves of the first mode and the acoustic waves of the second mode) is shown. The direction and the degree of their deformations are determined by the flexible coating parameters. It is found that at moderate Mach numbers, the stabilization of disturbances and the diminution of increments occur, whereas at high M on a surface with a film, the acoustic components are destabilized, which may lead to an earlier onset of nonlinear processes. The nonlinear interactions in three-wave symmetric triplets between the vortex waves at M = 2 and between the waves of different nature at M = 5.35 are considered. In the latter case, the plane acoustic wave is the pumping wave, which excites the three-dimensional subharmonic components of vortex nature.     

铝在校正高压下物质弹性波速测量上的应用

 自从在紧装式六面顶高压装置上建立了高温超高压下弹性波速的测量方法之后，已经获得了大量的有关岩石矿物的波速数据，利用这些波速数据解决了许多地质问题。然而，其高压弹性波速数据的精度没有解决，一直无法校正上、下顶砧的真正走时。根据弹性理论和标准物质铝的有关弹性参数，计算出铝的波速与压力的关系，然后，根据铝的波速与压力的关系推导出上、下顶砧的实际走时，校正后测量的较低压力下铁的波速与前人的资料吻合很好，并且铁的波速与压力也具有较好的非线性关系。因而，今后可以根据标准物质铝和铁来校正上、下顶砧的走时，从而获得物质在高压下更加精确的波速数据。     

Mixing time analysis of a sonochemical reactor

Mixing time measurements have been carried out in a cylindrical reactor irradiated with an ultrasonic horn fitted with different size tips. Liquid phase bulk velocities induced by the vibrating horn surface have been estimated from the mixing time measurements. A relationship has been established between the mean horn surface velocities (frequency x amplitude) and the mean velocities estimated from the mixing time measurements. A correlation has been developed for the prediction of the mixing time using a method similar to that used for liquid jet mixing. This could be the first step in defining the overall flow field, the information about which can then be used to get realistic numerical solutions of the Rayleigh-Plesset equation for a travelling cavity to understand the cavity dynamics in the various parts of the ultrasonic horn reactor.     

Evolution of microstructure in polycrystalline silicon thin films upon excimer laser crystallization

Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films fabricated by pulsed excimer laser crystallization (ELC) have been investigated using time-resolved optical measurements, scanning-electron microscopy, and cross-sectional transmission-electron microscopy. Detailed crystallization mechanisms are proposed to interpret the microstructure evolution of poly-Si films for both frontside and backside ELC. It is found that the backside ELC is a good candidate for the manufacturing of low-temperature polycrystalline silicon because of the high laser efficiency and low surface roughness of the poly-Si films.     

Characteristic regimes of premixed gas combustion in high-porosity micro-fibrous porous media

Dynamical behaviour of the premixed flame propagating in the inert high-porosity micro-fibrous porous media has been studied numerically. Effects of mixture filtration velocity, equivalence ratio and burner transverse size on the flame structure have been investigated and the regions of existence of different combustion regimes have been determined. It was found that the influence of the hydrodynamic instability on the flame dynamics is significant in the case of the moderate and high filtration velocities and this effect is negligible at the low velocities. At the moderate filtration velocities the effect of hydrodynamic instability manifests in the flame front deformation and in particular in the flame inclination. It was found that the flame can be stabilized within the whole interval of the filtration gas velocity, whereas in the ordinary porous media the standing wave is settled only at fixed value of gas filtration velocity. This finding is in line with recent experimental results on combustion in micro-fibrous porous media (Yang et al., Combust. Sci. Tech. 181 (2009), 1–16). Possible physical interpretation of the flame anchoring effect may be given on the base of present numerical analysis. At the high filtration velocities the hydrodynamic instability manifests itself in periodical appearance of the moving wrinkles on the flame front surface which forms non stationary high temperature trailing spots behind the leading part of the flame front. Such dynamics may be associated with splitting wave structures which were revealed in previous experiments (Yang et al., Combust. Sci. Tech. 181 (2009), 1–16).     

Brillouin scattering study on the wave properties in thin SiC films

The modified Rayleigh wave velocities on the SiC hetero-epitaxial films have been investigated using a Brillouin scattering technique. The SiC nanoscopic films were formed on clean surface of Si substrates by the molecular ion beam technique or Ion beam induced chemical vapor deposition. Back scattering geometry was used to obtain the ripple Brillouin scattering from the film surface. Owing to the high stability of the measurement system, the precise velocity measurement was performed. As a result, Rayleigh wave velocity showed a clear dependence on the crystalline structure of SiC film, indicating that the shear moduli of very thin epitaxial films shows similar tendency with those of SiC bulk sample.     

Excitonic photoluminescence characteristics of amorphous silicon nanoparticles embedded in silicon nitride film

We have investigated the photoluminescence (PL) properties of amorphous silicon nanoparticles (a-Si NPs) embedded in silicon nitride film (Si-in-SiN_x) grown by helicon wave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (HWP-CVD) technique. The PL spectrum of the film exhibits a broad band constituted of two Gaussian components. From photoluminescence excitation (PLE) measurements, it is elucidated that the two PL bands are associated with the a-Si NPs and the silicon nitride matrix surrounding a-Si NPs, respectively. The existence of Stokes shift between PL and absorption edge indicates that radiative recombination of carriers occurs in the states at the surface of the Si NPs, whereas their generation takes place in the a-Si NPs cores and the silicon nitride matrix, respectively. The visible PL of the film originates from the radiative recombination of excitons trapped in the surface states. At decreasing excitation energy (E_ex), the PL peak energy was found to be redshifted, accompanied by a narrowing of the bandwidth. These results are explained by surface exciton recombination model taking into account there existing a size distribution of a-Si NPs in the silicon nitride matrix.