Time-domain imaging of gigahertz surface waves on an acoustic metamaterial

We extend time-domain imaging in acoustic metamaterials to gigahertz frequencies. Using a sample consisting of a regular array of ∼1 μ m diameter silica microspheres forming a two-dimensional triangular lattice on a substrate, we implement an ultrafast technique to probe surface acoustic wave propagation inside the metamaterial area and incident on the metamaterial from a region containing no microspheres, which reveals the acoustic metamaterial dispersion, the presence of band gaps and the acoustic transmission properties of the interface. A theoretical model of this locally resonant metamaterial based on normal and shear-rotational resonances of the spheres fits the data well. Using this model, we show analytically how the sphere elastic coupling parameters influence the gap widths.