Nonlinear Evolution of Piezoelectric SAWs

Abstract

Theoretical treatment of waveform evolution for nonlinear elastic surface acoustic waves (SAWs) has developed through work by KALYANASUNDARAM et al [1,2,3], LARDNER [4,5,6], DAVID [7], LARDNER and TUPHOLME [8] and PLANAT [9]. All treatments, using variants on the method of multiple scales, yield an evolution equation equivalent to that first given by LARDNER [4] for the Fourier transform of the waveform. Extensions of the techniques to nonlinear piezoelectric SAWs are outlined in [10], [11] in this volume. This paper outlines an alternative derivation, generalizing the elastic treatment of PARKER [12]. The procedure given in PARKER and DAVID [13] is summarized, as are the results of numerical computations showing the influence of the electric boundary condition on the distortion and subsequent ‘break-up’ of initially sinusoidal waveforms.