Phononic Crystal — Band Gap

Elastic wave propagation through periodic 1D medium — Bragg stop bands

Transmission:  | 
A phononic crystal is a periodic elastic structure with alternating impedance Z = ρc. Bragg scattering creates band gaps at frequencies f_n = nc/(2a) where constructive interference of reflected waves leads to exponential attenuation — the stop band. Left: wave propagation (real part of displacement). Right: band structure dispersion ω(k).