Rayleigh wave metallic surfaces

Based upon a piezoelectric 1-3-composite material, air-bome ultrasonic probes for frequencies up to 2 MHz were developped. These probes are characterized by a bandwidth larger than 50 % as well as a signal-to-noise ratio higher than 100 dB. Applications are the thickness measurement of thin powder layers, the inspection of sandwich structures, the detection of surface near cracks in metals or ceramics by generation/reception of Rayleigh waves and the inspection of plates by Lamb waves. 

In a bounded medium, such as thick metal plates, surface waves (Love waves and Rayleigh waves) occur. If the thickness of the plate is of the order of a few wavelengths, Lamb waves (plate waves) can propagate. These can be either symmetric or asymmetric. Generally, if the solid has moderate symmetry, unique waveforms can propagate, for example, tube waves. 

The elementary surface excited states of electrons in crystals are called surface excitons. Their existence is due solely to the presence of crystal boundaries. Surface excitons, in this sense, are quite analogous to Rayleigh surface waves in elasticity theory and to Tamm states of electrons in a bounded crystal. Increasing interest in surface excitons is provided by the new methods for the experimental investigation of excited states of the surfaces of metals, semiconductors and dielectrics, of thin films on substrates and other laminated media, and by the extensive potentialities of surface physics in scientific instrument making and technology. 

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