We investigate the possibility of designing phononic crystal-based devices for telecommunication applications using materials commonly employed in microfabrication. We focus our attention on a phononic crystal made of a square array of cylindrical holes drilled in an active piezoelectric PZT5A matrix. Two different structures are considered, namely, a freestanding phononic crystal plate and a plate deposited on a silicon substrate. The geometrical characteristics of the phononic crystal plates ͑lattice parameter and thickness͒ were chosen to ensure the existence of an absolute band gap around 1.5 GHz; a common frequency in radio frequency telecommunications. Computations of the dispersion curves of these active structures were conducted with the help of the finite element method. We demonstrate the existence of absolute band gaps in the band structure of the phononic crystal plates and, then, the possibility of guided modes inside a linear defect created by removing one row of air holes in the phononic crystal. In the case of the supported phononic crystal plates, we show the existence of an absolute forbidden band in the plate modes when the thickness of the substrate significantly exceeds the plate thickness. We discuss the conditions to realize waveguiding through a linear defect inside the supported plate. The present work provides evidences that phononic crystal properties can be integrated with existing silicon based microdevice technology.

A new phenomenon in ultrasonic cavitation field is reported. Cavitation bubbles are observed to self-arrange in a cone-like macrostructure in the vicinity of transducer radiating surface. The cone-like macrostructure is stable while its branch-like pattern microstructure changes rapidly. The structure is constituted by moving bubbles which undergo attractive and repulsive Bjerknes forces caused by high acoustic pressure gradients and strongly nonlinear oscillations of cavitation bubbles. The cone-like bubble structure is a chemically active formation. Its remarkably high activity is confirmed by chemiluminescence experiments.

An homogeneous piezoelectric rod is shown to exhibit Bragg band gaps when an electrical boundary condition is applied periodically with the help of metallic electrodes. An analytical model is developed which formulation depends on the applied electric boundary condition and reveals that Bragg band gaps occurring in this very peculiar phononic crystal are related to the electric charge located on the electrodes. Moreover, via an accurate boundary condition (electrodes connected in short circuit, in open circuit, or through an external capacitance), full tunability of the Bragg band gaps can be achieved. Measurements of ultrasonic transmission present an overall excellent agreement with the theoretical results. This phononic crystal can be easily manufactured and presents many potential applications as frequency filters especially for radio frequency telecommunications. V