An acoustic diode (AD) is proposed and designed based on a mechanism different from the previous designs by using two structured impedance-matched acoustic metasurfaces. This AD can realize unidirectional acoustic transmission within a broad band with high transmission efficiency due to the impedance-matching condition while allowing other entities such as objects or fluids to pass freely. What is more, the backtracking waves that come from the incoming waves can be efficiently prevented and cannot disturb the source. The acoustic pressure field distribution, intensity distribution, and transmission efficiency are calculated by using the finite element method. The simulation results agree well with the theoretical predictions. Our proposed mechanism can experimentally provide a simple approach to design an AD and have potential applications in various fields such as medical ultrasound and noise insulation.

In this paper, the tuning characteristics of band gaps and waveguides in a locally resonant phononic crystal structure, consisting of multiple square stubs deposited on a thin homogeneous plate, are investigated. Using the finite element method and supercell technique, the dispersion relationships and power transmission spectra of those structures are calculated. In contrast to a system of one square stub, systems of multiple square stubs show wide band gaps at lower frequencies and an increased quantity of band gaps at higher frequencies. The vibration modes of the band gap edges are analyzed to clarify the mechanism of the generation of the lowest band gap. Additionally, the influence of the stubs arrangement on the band gaps in multi-stub systems is investigated. The arrangements of the stubs were found to influence the band gaps; this is critical to understand for practical applications. Based on this finding, a novel method to form defect scatterers by changing the arrangement of square stubs in a multi-stub perfect phononic crystal plate was developed. Defect bands can be induced by creating defects inside the original complete band gaps. The frequency can then be tuned by changing the defect scatterers’ stub arrangement. These results will help in fabricating devices such as acoustic filters and waveguides whose band frequency can be modulated.

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In this letter, we propose a theoretical description of double nonuniform cross-section (DNUCS) channels, which can achieve the designed absorption coefficient with a shorter channel overall. Introducing channels with a nonuniform cross section changes the period of the surface acoustic impedance, which has a significant impact on the dominant operating frequencies. In this paper, we give the relation between the absorption peak position and the geometric parameters, which can be used to design DNUCS channels with a specific operating frequency. Furthermore, multiple nonuniform cross-section channels can be studied in the same way. Based on the above theory, we reduce the operating absorption frequency range of a new type of Fabry–Pérot absorbers to a lower regime in a constant volume. Our theoretical framework may be important in designing absorption metasurfaces and for further research.

Lamb wave band gaps in a homogenous plate with periodic tapered surface

The waveform distortion happens in most of the unidirectional acoustic transmission (UAT) devices proposed before. In this paper, a novel type of waveform-preserved UAT device composed of an impedance-matched acoustic metasurface (AMS) and a phononic crystal (PC) structure is proposed and numerically investigated. The acoustic pressure field distributions and transmittance are calculated by using the finite element method. The subwavelength AMS that can modulate the wavefront of the transmitted wave at will is designed and the band structure of the PC structure is calculated and analyzed. The sound pressure field distributions demonstrate that the unidirectional acoustic transmission can be realized by the proposed UAT device without changing the waveforms of the output waves, which is the distinctive feature compared with the previous UAT devices. The physical mechanism of the unidirectional acoustic transmission is discussed by analyzing the refraction angle changes and partial band gap map. The calculated transmission spectra show that the UAT device is valid within a relatively broad frequency range. The simulation results agree well with the theoretical predictions. The proposed UAT device provides a good reference for designing waveform-preserved UAT devices and has potential applications in many fields, such as medical ultrasound, acoustic rectifiers, and noise insulation.

Acoustic metasurface (AMS) is a good candidate to manipulate acoustic waves due to special acoustic performs that cannot be realized by traditional materials. In this paper, we design the AMS by using circular-holed cubic arrays. The advantages of our AMS are easy assemble, subwavelength thickness, and low energy loss for manipulating acoustic waves. According to the generalized Snell’s law, acoustic waves can be manipulated arbitrarily by using AMS with different phase gradients. By selecting suitable hole diameter of circular-holed cube (CHC), some interesting phenomena are demonstrated by our simulations based on finite element method, such as the conversion of incoming waves into surface waves, anomalous reflections (including negative reflection), acoustic focusing lens, and acoustic carpet cloak. Our results can provide a simple approach to design AMSes and use them in wavefront manipulation and manufacturing of acoustic devices.

We present the design, implementation and detailed performance analysis for a class of trapeziform and flat acoustic cloaks. An effective large invisible area is obtained compared with the traditional carpet cloak. The cloaks are realized with homogeneous metamaterials which are made of periodic arrangements of subwavelength unit cells composed of steel embedded in air. The microstructures and its effective parameters of the cloaks are determined quickly and precisely in a broadband frequency range by using the effective medium theory and the proposed parameters optimization method. The invisibility capability of the cloaks can be controlled by the variation of the key design parameters and scale factor which are proved to have more influence on the performance in the near field than that in the far field. Different designs are suitable for different application situations. Good cloaking performance demonstrates that such a device can be physically realized with natural materials which will greatly promote the real applications of invisibility cloak.