On scattering in dissimilar piezoelectric materials by a semi-infinite interfacial crack

Abstract

This work is concerned with the diffraction and scattering of plane electro-acoustic waves by an interfacial crack between two dissimilar piezoelectric half-spaces. An exact solution is obtained for the full scattering field around the tip of the interfacial crack that is loaded with both acoustic SH and electric incident waves. First, it has been found that the interfacial crack is not completely opaque to the electro-acoustic wave: the electro-acoustic wave can penetrate and transmit to the other side of the interfacial slit. Secondly, the analysis has confirmed that the interaction between electric waves and acoustic waves will provide multiple electroacoustic head waves. Thirdly, the effects of the electro-acoustic surface wave on the scattering field have been examined. The scattering patterns obtained are fundamentally different from the prediction of the scattering theory for purely elastic media. They provide unique electroacoustic signatures for layered piezoelectric materials. © Oxford University Press 2005; all rights reserved.