Acoustic focusing by an array of heat sources in air

We report on a broadband acoustic focusing lens comprising 20 heat sources of different temperatures, 10 on each side of the array, in air. This focusing phenomenon is attributed to temperature gradients inducing the desired refractive index in one medium (air) and to the continuously changing acoustic impedance, which avoids any acoustic impedance difference that would occur between a lens and air. The results indicate that this focusing lens has a broader bandwidth (>3.5 kHz), higher intensity amplification (about 5.0 times), and a simpler structure. This focusing lens has great potential for applications in ultrasonic devices. (C) 2016 The Japan Society of Applied Physics