Linear and nonlinear vibrations and waves in optical or acoustic superlattices (photonic or phonon crystals)

A model of a dielectric or an elastic superlattice is proposed which describes quite simply the frequency spectrum of electromagnetic or acoustic waves. The frequency band spectrum of a one-dimensional lattice consists of minibands, which narrow down with increasing frequency (so that the forbidden bands in the spectrum broaden with increasing frequency). An elementary analysis of the spectrum of a one-dimensional lattice reveals the presence of many forbidden frequency bands in this case as well. It is shown that dynamic equations for superlattices can be generalized to the nonlinear case, leading to equations of the type of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation for the lattice. Soliton excitations are described and the particle-like dynamics of solitons is demonstrated. Local vibrations near point defects of different complexity in superlattices are studied and graphically illustrated. The existence of Bloch oscillations of a wave packet in a superlattice in a homogeneous external field is discussed. (C) 2002 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".