Non-dispersive and dispersive electromagnetoacoustic SH surface modes in piezoelectric media

This paper deals with a detailed analysis of the electromagnetic problem for the propagation of shear horizontal (SH) surface waves in a non-conducting piezoelectric half-space. The compatibility equations are solved in both cases of grounded surfaces and surfaces matched with an external potential. It is shown that a unique quasi-acoustical mode exists in non-dispersive media and the corresponding solution is worked out in a closed form having recourse to a method of complex analysis. Dispersive half-spaces are considered accounting for a one-resonance model and the dispersion equation is numerically solved for a matched surface. Two types of admissible surface waves are found in different frequency ranges. One mode generalises the well-known Bleustein-Gulyaev wave, while the second one is a quasi-electromagnetic mode occurring above the characteristic frequency of the model. Results are compared with those obtained by the quasi-static approximation. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.