Spatiotemporal mapping of surface acoustic waves in isotropic and anisotropic materials
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Updated: Sep 30, 2026

A Stable Phantom Material for Optical and Acoustic Imaging
Published on: June 16, 2023
Y Sugawara1, O B Wright, O Matsuda
1Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. assp@kino-ap.eng.hokudai.ac.jp
Abstract:
We demonstrate a new method for a real-time imaging of surface acoustic waves at frequencies up to 1 GHz with picosecond temporal and micron spatial resolutions using an ultrafast optical pump and probe technique combined with a common path interferometer. Using samples with isotropic or anisotropic substrates coated with metallic thin films, we observe the propagation of Rayleigh-like modes and surface-skimming bulk modes as well as resolving surface phonon focusing effects. In addition we image surface acoustic wave propagation in a laterally inhomogeneous sample.
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