Surface and Guided Waves in Composites with Nematic Coatings

The theoretical prediction of the acoustical polarization effects in the heterogeneous composites, made of thick elastic solids with thin nematic films, is presented. The numericalanalytical solution to the problem of the different wave propagation exhibits some new physical effects in the low frequency domain: the appearance of the critical frequency and the existence of the narrow transition zone where the wave rapidly changes its speed. The associated wave attenuation is highly perturbed in this zone. We also show the possible appearance of the critical frequencies where the attenuation changes the sign. The numerical results of parametrical analysis are presented and discussed.