Scattering and attenuation of surface acoustic waves and surface skimming longitudinal polarized bulk waves imaged by Coulomb coupling

Abstract

Coulomb coupling has been applied for vector contrast imaging of surface acoustic waves and surface skimming longitudinal polarized waves travelling on or in a 5 mm thick, Y-Z cut Lithium Niobate single crystal. The excitation and detection of acoustic waves was performed by Coulomb coupling. For excitation 20 oscillations at a frequency of 89.9 MHz were used. The scattering and attenuation of both, surface skimming and surface acoustic waves are studied by imaging in vector contrast. Objects employed for interaction with the waves are layers of absorptive and scattering materials. The interaction allows a clear differentiation of volume waves skimming the surface and guided waves traveling at the surface.