Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Fabrication of Surface Acoustic Wave Devices on Lithium Niobate
Published on: June 18, 2020
Nonlinear surface acoustic waves: silicon strength in phonon-focusing directions
Victor V Kozhushko1, Peter Hess
1Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 253, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
Abstract:
The anisotropy of the elastic properties of single-crystal silicon manifests itself in features of both the linear and nonlinear surface acoustic wave (SAW) propagation. Directions showing the phonon-focusing effect and strong nonlinearity were employed in contact-free and notch-free laser-based fracture experiments, yielding the intrinsic strength of silicon. The critical tensile stress values vary between 2.5 GPa and 7 GPa for the different crystallographic planes and directions of SAW propagation investigated.
Related Concept Videos
Sound Waves
Sound waves are longitudinal in most fluids because fluids cannot sustain any lateral pressure. In solids, however, shear forces help in propagating the disturbance in the lateral direction as well. Hence,...
Standing Waves in a Cavity
Sound Waves: Resonance
Sound Waves: Interference
Modes of Standing Waves - I
Shock Waves
When the source's speed approaches the speed of sound, constructive interference between successive wavefronts emitted by the source occurs immediately behind it. Initially, scientists believed that this constructive interference would result in such high pressures...

