Imaging Phonons Acoustic Wave Propagation in Solids [Paperback]

A highly illustrated introduction to the physics of acoustic phonons - for researchers.Drop a pebble in a pond and the results are quite predicable: circular waves flow from the point of impact. Hit a point on a crystalline solid, however, and the expanding waves are highly non-spherical; the elasticity of a crystal is anisotropic. This book provides a fresh look at the vibrational properties of crystalline solids, elucidated by new imaging techniques. From the megahertz vibrations of ultrasound to the near-terahertz vibrations associated with heat, the underlying elastic anisotropy of the crystal asserts itself. Written from the viewpoint of an experimentalist, the text contains both the basic theory of wave propagation in solids and its experimental applications in revealing the vibrational structure of anisotropic materials. The book includes many striking and original illustrations.Drop a pebble in a pond and the results are quite predicable: circular waves flow from the point of impact. Hit a point on a crystalline solid, however, and the expanding waves are highly non-spherical; the elasticity of a crystal is anisotropic. This book provides a fresh look at the vibrational properties of crystalline solids, elucidated by new imaging techniques. From the megahertz vibrations of ultrasound to the near-terahertz vibrations associated with heat, the underlying elastic anisotropy of the crystal asserts itself. Written from the viewpoint of an experimentalist, the text contains both the basic theory of wave propagation in solids and its experimental applications in revealing the vibrational structure of anisotropic materials. The book includes many striking and original illustrations.Drop a pebble in a pond and the results are predictable: circular waves flow from the point of impact. Hit a point on a crystalline solid, however, and the expanding waves are highly nonspherical; the elasticity of a crystal is anisotropic. This book provides a fresh look at the vibralã*