Search

We report Bessel-like beam formation of acoustic waves by means of an axisymmetric grating of rigid tori. The results show that the generated beam pattern is similar to that of Bessel beams, characterized by elongated non-diffracting focal spots. A multiple foci structure is observed, due to the finite size of the lens. The dependence of the focal distance on the frequency is also discussed, on the basis of an extended grating theory. Experimental validation of acoustic Bessel-like beam formation is also reported for sound waves. The results can be generalized to wave beams of different nature, as optical or matter waves.

We present the design of a structured material supporting complete absorption of sound with a broadband response and functional for any direction of incident radiation. The structure which is fabricated out of porous lamellas is arranged into a low-density crystal and backed by a reflecting support. Experimental measurements show that strong all-angle sound absorption with almost zero reflectance takes place for a frequency range exceeding two octaves. We demonstrate that lowering the crystal filling fraction increases the wave interaction time and is responsible for the enhancement of intrinsic material dissipation, making the system more absorptive with less material.

The symmetry matching between the source and the lens results of fundamental interest for lensing applications. In this work we have modeled an axisymmetric gradient index (GRIN) lens made of rigid toroidal scatterers embedded in air considering this symmetry matching with radially symmetric sources. The sound amplification obtained in the focal spot of the reported lens (8.24 dB experimentally) shows the efficiency of the axisymmetric lenses with respect to the previous Cartesian acoustic GRIN lenses. The axisymmetric design opens new possibilities in lensing applications in different branches of science and technology.

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel mechanism of sound wave concentration based on soft reflections in chirped sonic crystals. The reported controlled field enhancement occurs at around particular (bright) planes in the crystal, and is related to a progressive slowing down of the sound wave as it propagates along the material. At these bright planes, a substantial concentration of the energy (with a local increase up to 20 times) was obtained for a linear chirp and for frequencies around the first band gap. A simple couple mode theory is proposed, that interprets and estimates the observed effects. The results are obtained for the case of sound waves and sonic crystals, however they are extendable to other type of waves in modulated host matter.

A theoretical and experimental study of the propagation of sound beams in- and behind three-dimensional sonic crystals at frequencies close to the band edges is presented. An efficient collimation of the beam behind the crystal is predicted and experimentally demonstrated. This effect could allow the design of sources of high spatial quality sound beams.

We report the theoretical and experimental demonstration of pattern formation in acoustics. The system is an acoustic resonator containing a viscous fluid. When the system is driven by an external periodic force, the ultrasonic field inside the cavity experiences different pattern-forming instabilities leading to the emergence of periodic structures. The system is also shown to possess bistable regimes, in which localized states of the ultrasonic field develop. The thermal nonlinearity in the viscous fluid, together with the far-from-equilibrium conditions, are is the responsible of the observed effects.

We propose and numerically demonstrate an efficient cleaning of spatial structure (spatial filtering) of sound beams by propagating them through at least twodimensional sonic crystals, i.e. through acoustic structures periodically modulated in longitudinal and in transversal direction with respect to the sound propagation direction. We show the spatial filtering in two configurations: with- and without the angular band-gap. We also show that besides the spatial filtering the beams can be additionally focalized at a particular distance behind the sonic crystal in both configurations.

The advisability of the use of the Fresnel number as the measure (characteristic) of the ratio of diffraction and focusing properties for ultrasonic transducers and its radiated beams is proposed and demonstrated. Althought this characteristic is more habitual in optics, in acoustics the equivalent (mathematically although not fully in its physical meaning) parameter of linear gain is used as a rule. However, the preference and the more accuracy of the Fresnel number use is demonstrated here on the basis that the usual determination of the linear gain parameter ceases to correspond to the real value of the gain for low Fresnel number acoustic beams. It connects with the linear effect of axial maximum pressure shift from the geometrical focus towards the transducer. This effect is known for a long time, but here the analytical formulas describing this shift with a high accuracy for arbitrary Fresnel numbers are presented. As a consequence, also the analytical dependence of the real gain on the Fresnel number is obtained., Comment: Submitted to Acta Acustica United with Acustica

Experimental results related with the movement of the position of pressure and intensity maxima along the axis of focused acoustic beams under increasing driving voltages and its interpretation are presented. It is shown that in the nonlinear regime the points of the pressure and intensity maximum are separated and move differently along the axis, contrary to the linear regime, where these points coincide. The considered effects are particularly strong in the case of low-Fresnel-number beams., Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures

We report on a new type of localized structure, an ultrasonic cavity soliton, supported by large aspect-ratio acoustic resonators containing viscous media. The spatio-temporal dynamics of this system is analyzed on the basis of a generalized Swift-Hohenberg equation, derived from the microscopic equations under conditions close to nascent bistability. These states of the acoustic and thermal fields are robust structures, existing whenever a spatially uniform solution and a periodic pattern coexist. An analytical solution for the ultrasonic cavity soliton is also presented.

A theoretical model of parametric magnetostrictive generator of ultrasound is considered, taking into account magnetic and magnetoacoustic nonlinearities. The stability and temporal dynamics of the system is analized with standard techniques revealing that, for a given set of parameters, the model presents a homoclinic or saddle--loop bifurcation, which predicts that the ultrasound is emitted in the form of pulses or spikes with arbitrarily low frequency., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures