Dipolar localization of waves in twisted phononic crystal plates

TL;DR

This paper investigates wave localization in twisted phononic crystal plates, revealing how specific rotation angles induce localized modes and resonances, with potential applications in tunable wave-trapping devices.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of dipolar localization in twisted phononic crystals, linking special angles to enhanced interactions and mode formation, expanding understanding beyond traditional twisted materials.

Findings

Localized modes occur at specific rotation angles.

Resonant frequencies depend strongly on the twist angle.

A single tunable mode appears near commensurable angles.

Abstract

The localization of waves in two-dimensional clusters of scatterers arranged in relatively twisted lattices is studied by multiple scattering theory. It is found that, for a given frequency, it is always possible to find localized modes for a discrete set of rotation angles, analogous to the so-called "magic angles" recently found in two-dimensional materials like graphene. Similarly, for small rotations of the lattices, a large number of resonant frequencies is found, whose position strongly depends on the rotation angle. Moreover, for angles close to those that make the two lattices commensurable a single mode appears that can be easily tuned by the rotation angle. Unlike other twisted materials, where the properties of the bilayers are mainly explained in terms of the dispersion relation of the individual lattices, the special angles in these clusters happen because of the formation of dipolar scatterers due to the relative rotation between the two lattices, enhancing therefore their interaction. While the presented results are valid for any type of wave, the specific case of flexural waves in thin elastic plates is numerically studied, and the different modes found are comprehensively explained in terms of the interaction between pairs of scatterers. The analysis presented here shows that these structures are promising candidates for the inverse design of tunable wave-trapping devices for classical waves.