Imaging Phonons
Acoustic Wave Propagation in Solids

A highly illustrated introduction to the physics of acoustic phonons - for researchers.

James P. Wolfe (Author)

9780521620611, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 July 1998

428 pages, 255 b/w illus. 8 tables
26.3 x 18.3 x 2.9 cm, 1.045 kg

'Jim Wolfe's book provides a comprehensive and highly readable review … The images are spectacular and display all the features of geometrical optics … Wolfe is an excellent teacher as well as a researcher and anyone whose work connects with phonons will gain from giving the book more careful attention … should be in the library of any University that has a solid state physics group and anyone working with phonons will want to own a copy.' Professor L. J. Challis, Contemporary Physics

Drop a pebble in a pond and the results are quite predictable: 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. Phonons are elementary vibrations that affect many properties of solids - thermal, electrical and magnetic. This text covers the basic theory and experimental observations of phonon propagation in solids. Phonon imaging techniques provide physical insights into such topics as phonon focusing, lattice dynamics and ultrasound propagation. Scattering of phonons from interfaces, superlattices, defects and electrons are treated in detail. The book includes many striking and original illustrations.

Preface
Prologue
1. Ballistic heat pulses and phonon imaging - a first look
2. Phonon focusing
3. Generation and detection of phonons - experimental aspects
4. Focusing in cubic crystals
5. Acoustic symmetry and piezoelectricity
6. Lattice dynamics
7. Imaging of dispersive phonons
8. Phonon dynamics
9. Bulk scattering of phonons
10. Quasidiffusion and the phonon source
11. Phonon scattering at interfaces
12. Refraction and reflection at solid/solid interfaces - experiment
13. Imaging ultrasound in crystals
14. Imaging surface acoustic waves
15. Interactions of ballistic phonons with electrons
Appendices
Index.

Subject Areas: Dynamics & vibration [TGMD4], Condensed matter physics [liquid state & solid state physics PHFC]