Subwavelength focusing of surface acoustic waves generated by an annular interdigital transducer

We propose and demonstrate experimentally the concept of the annular interdigital transducer that focuses acoustic waves on the surface of a piezoelectric material to a single, diffraction-limited spot. The shape of the transducing fingers follows the wave surface. Experiments conducted on lithium niobate substrates evidence that the generated surface waves converge to the center of the transducer, producing a spot that shows a large concentration of acoustic energy. This concept is of practical significance to design new intense microacoustic sources, for instance for enhanced acousto-optical interactions. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.