Visualization of surface acoustic wave scattering by dislocations

Stroboscopic X-ray topography at the synchrotron beam line was used to visualize the propagation of a 580 MHz surface acoustic waves (SAW) in LiNbO3 crystals. For this purpose, the X-ray bursts coming from the synchrotron storage ring with periodicity of 5.68 MHz were synchronized with the SAW frequency in a phase-locked mode. This method allowed us to "stop" the SAW in time and to observe the X-ray diffraction contrast caused by the dynamic deformation field of SAW. The X-ray topographic images showed well-resolved individual acoustic wave fronts of 6 microm SAW as well as their distortions due to SAW scattering by linear dislocations. Some of the images revealed an exceptional contrast of the concentric rings about the dislocation line, which is caused by coherent interaction of the secondary elastic waves. This contrast is similar to the Fresnel zones in optics, and this conclusion is confirmed by direct summation of secondary waves emitted by local elements of a vibrating dislocation string.