This work concerns the investigation of loading layers/substrate structures in order to determine the critical thickness at which Rayleigh wave characteristics of layers can be completely distinguished from those of the substrates. To do so, we first calculate Rayleigh velocity dispersion curves of several thin film materials (about thirty) deposited on different slow and fast substrates (Be, Al 2 O 3 , AlN, Si, SiO 2 , Mg, SiC, TiN, WC and Pyrex). Then, from the beginning of curve saturation (corresponding to the onset of intrinsic layer characteristics) we deduced normalized thickness transition for all layers/substrates combinations. Thus, we were able to deduce an analytical linear expression relating the critical thickness to combined effects of densities and velocities of both layers and substrates. Such a simple relation can be used, as an alternative method, to predict the transition critical thickness for any layer/substrate combination without the usual lengthy calculation of dispersion curves.

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