Excitation and detection of evanescent acoustic waves in piezoelectric plates: Theoretical and 2D FEM modeling

This paper presents the results of the theoretical and 2D FEM modeling excitation and detection of evanescent acoustic waves in piezoelectric plates. By application of 2D ordinary differential equations derived by Auld, we obtained the dispersion curves of A₁ and SH₁ waves in YX LiNbO₃ and YX KNbO₃ plates in proximity to a zero group velocity point. The branches corresponding to evanescent acoustic waves are distinguished. A frequency range where real part of evanescent wave velocity is more than imaginary one was found. In this region evanescent mode is characterized by opposite directions of the phase and group velocities, i.e. this is backward wave. The theoretical analysis was verified in commercial 2D FEM software COMSOL 5.3. By modeling a set of interdigital transducers placed on the surface of Y-cut LiNbO₃ wafer with various values of the spatial period we found the resonant frequencies corresponding to evanescent A₁ mode. Due to proximity of this wave to a zero group velocity point its properties should be extremely sensitive to change of waveguide quality and ambient air. This is open the possibility to use these waves for development of high sensitive sensors and for nondestructive waveguide analysis.