The attenuation of rayleigh surface waves by surface roughness

This paper presents a calculation of the attenuation length of Rayleigh surface waves in the presence of surface roughness. We consider Rayleigh waves on the surface of a semi-infinite isotropic elastic continuum, and the method we use produces the contribution to the attenuation rate proportional to the square of the rms amplitude of the roughness. We obtain explicit expressions for the contribution to the attenuation rate from roughness-induced scattering into bulk transverse and longitudinal acoustic waves, and into Rayleigh waves. Our derivation makes use of a Green's function method. When the wavelength λ of the Rayleigh wave is long compared to the transverse correlation length a that characterizes the surface roughness, all contributions to the attenuation rate are proportional to the fifth power of the frequency. When λ is comparable to or smaller than a, the attenuation constant varies more slowly with frequency. For a model of the surface roughness, we present numerical calculations of the relative magnitude and frequency dependence of the various contributions to the attenuation rate. The Green's functions used here may be applied to a number of calculations. A derivation of their form is provided in an Appendix.     

Two-dimensional random surfaces that act as circular diffusers

We propose a method for designing a two-dimensional random Dirichlet surface that, when it is illuminated at normal incidence by a scalar plane wave, scatters the wave with a circularly symmetric distribution of intensity. The method is applied to the design of a surface that acts as a Lambertian diffuser. The method is tested by computer simulations, and a procedure for fabricating such surfaces on photoresist is described.     

Waves in a superlattice with anisotropic inhomogeneities

Dependences of the dispersion laws and damping of waves in an initially sinusoidal superlattice on inhomogeneities with anisotropic correlation properties are studied for the first time. The period of the superlattice is modulated by the random function described by the anisotropic correlation function K_?(r) that has different correlation radii, k _∥ ^?1 and k _⊥ ^?1 , along the axis of the superlattice z and in the plane xy, respectively. The anisotropy of the correlation is characterized by the parameter λ=1?k_⊥/k_∥ that can change from λ=0 to λ=1 when the correlation wave number k⊥ changes from k_⊥=k_∥ (isotropic 3D inhomogeneities) to k_⊥=0 (1D inhomogeneities). The correlation function of the superlattice K(r) is developed. Its decreasing part goes to the asymptote L that divides the correlation volume into two parts, characterized by finite and infinite correlation radii. The dependences of the width of the gap in the spectrum at the boundary of the Brillouin zone δν and the damping of waves ξ on the value of λ are studied. It is shown that decreasing L leads to the decrease of δν, and increase of ξ, with the increase of λ.     

Backscattering of light from a dielectric layer on a reflecting substrate

Scattering of light from rough dielectric films is studied experimentally. It is shown that the interference pattern of the scattered field depends critically on the power spectrum of the roughness, especially on its long-scale component. When the height of roughness is small compared with the wavelength, the backscattering peak (if it exists) is due to the interference of the singly scattered fields; hence the properties of the backscattered peak are rather unusual. In particular, the width of the peak is determined by the thickness of the film and is independent of the parameters of disorder. The intensity of the peak increases with an increase of the rms height of the surface roughness and becomes independent of the rms when the roughness is of the order of the wavelength.     

Speckle correlations in the light scattered from weakly rough random metal surfaces

Abstract

Diagrammatic perturbation theory and computer simulation methods are used to compute the angular intensity correlation function C(q, k|q′,k′)=([I(q|k) - (I(q|k))] × [I(q′|k′) - (I(q′|k′))]) for p-polarized light scattered from a weakly rough, one-dimensional random metal surface. I(q|k) is the squared modulus of the scattering matrix for the system, and q, q′ and k, k′ are the projections on the mean scattering surface of the wavevectors of the scattered and incident light, respectively. Contributions to C include: (a) short-range memory effect and time-reversed memory effect terms, C ⁽¹⁾; (b) an additional short-range term of comparable magnitude C ⁽¹⁰⁾; (c) a long-range term C ⁽²⁾; (d) an infinite-range term C ⁽³⁾; and (e) a term C ^(1.5) that along with C ⁽²⁾ displays peaks associated with the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons. The diagrammatic methods are also extended to treat the angular intensity correlation function for the scattering of p to p, p to s, s to p, and s to s polarizations of light from a two-dimensional randomly rough surface. These correlations are again described in terms of C ⁽¹⁾, C ⁽¹⁰⁾, C ^(1.5), C ⁽²⁾, and C ⁽³⁾ contributions to C for the two-dimensional surfaces. Short-range memory and time-reversed memory effects are observed in the two-dimensional C ⁽¹⁾ correlations, and peaks associated with the excitation of surface polaritons are observed in the two-dimensional C ^(1.5) and C ⁽²⁾ correlations. Most of the results for the one- and two-dimensional systems are presented for incident electromagnetic plane waves. In addition, results for one-dimensional systems are presented for incident electromagnetic beams of finite width. Some of the results for one-dimensional surfaces are corroborated by means of computer simulation techniques.     

Perturbation theory results for the diffuse scattering of light from two-dimensional randomly rough metal surfaces

Using the unitarity and reciprocity preserving formulation of Brown et al a perturbation treatment, correct to fourth order in the surface profile function, is given for the scattering of electromagnetic waves from a weakly rough, two-dimensional, random metal surface. In this formulation the boundary conditions on the electromagnetic fields are satisfied using the extinction theorem in conjunction with the Rayleigh hypothesis and the vector equivalent of the Kirchhoff integral. The theory is applied to, and results are presented for, several different types of rough surfaces which are characterized by power spectra that are extensions to two-dimensional random surfaces of the power spectrum of some one-dimensional random surfaces recently fabricated by West and O'Donnell. These surfaces, which can be realized experimentally, favor coherent, interferent, multiple scattering of electromagnetic waves via surface plasmon polaritons in intermediate states, and clearly exhibit enhanced backscattering caused by the surface plasmon polariton mechanism. Theoretical results are presented for silver surfaces at optical wavelengths.     

Roughness-trapped shear horizontal surface acoustic waves

Shear horizontal surface acoustic waves do not exist on the flat surface of a semi-infinite elastic medium. It has been shown by several authors recently that such waves can exist on a periodically corrugated, planar surface. We show here on the basis of the Rayleigh method that shear horizontal surface acoustic waves exist on a randomly rough planar surface of an isotropic elastic medium. These waves are only weakly localized to the surface and they have a lifetime that is long due to their roughness-induced scattering into other surface acoustic waves and into bulk waves.     

Theory of damped surface magnetoplasmons in n-type InSb

A theoretical investigation of surface magnetoplasmons in n-type InSb has been carried out with the effect of damping taken into account. Part of the investigation included surface magnetoplasmons interacting with surface optical phonons. The calculated dispersion curves show backbending, in contrast to the situation were damping is neglected. In addition, there are gaps in the dispersion curves for certain frequency ranges.     

Magnetostatic interface waves in ferromagnets

We derive the dispersion relation for magnetostatic surface waves guided by the interface between two ferromagnets. The applied field and saturation magnetization are parallel to the interface. The propagation of surface waves parallel to the interface is nonreciprocal and is limited to a restricted set of directions. An analytical expression is found for the critical angle, beyond which propagation is not allowed.