Nearly backward reflection of bulk acoustic waves at grazing incidence in a TeO2 crystal

Abstract

Reflection of bulk acoustic waves in a TeO2 acoustooptic single crystal is studied for the case of a grazing incidence on the free crystal-vacuum boundary. The propagation and reflection of elastic waves is considered in the XOY plane of the material cut out in the form of a rectangular prism. An extraordinary case of reflection at the grazing incidence, when the energy flow of one of the two reflected waves in the crystal is directed opposite to that of the incident wave, is studied. It is shown that the transformation of the incident elastic energy into the energy of the backward-reflected wave can occur with an efficiency close to 100% and can be observed in a wide range of crystal cut angles. An abrupt change of the reflection coefficients in the vicinity of the critical angle is predicted.