Phononic supercrystal as a highly absorbing metamaterial

Abstract

We demonstrate analytically, numerically, and experimentally that a 2D supercrystal (SC)—an elastic structure of solid rods with two distinct spatial periods embedded in a viscous fluid—exhibits very high acoustic absorption. Smaller diameter rods arranged in a 2D lattice with a smaller period serve as an effective medium with high viscosity for a set of larger rods arranged in a lattice of much larger period. The enhancement of acoustic absorption is due to strong viscous friction within a narrow layer with high gradients of velocity formed around each scatterer. The SC as a whole is considered in the homogenization limit of frequencies where it behaves as a metafluid with an effective speed of sound and effective viscosity. Analytical results for the effective parameters are calculated for any Bravais lattices and arbitrary cross-sections of the rods. Experimental measurements of acoustic absorption in a supercrystal with hexagonal lattices for both types of rods are in a good agreement with analytical and numerical results.