The phase velocity dispersion of the surface acoustic waves on a basal plane of Si(100) has been calculated in the whole range of the azimuthal angle of propagation. We present a detailed description of the calculations. These calculations are compared with the experimental data obtained by a laser acoustic method. Our data convincingly demonstrate the existence of a gap in the spectrum of the phase velocities. The gap means that in a definite range of the phase velocities the SAWs are absent in the whole interval of the azimuthal angles. There is an excellent coincidence between the numerical and experimental data.

Knowledge of mechanical properties of thin films is essential for most of their applications. However, their determination can be problematic for very thin films. LAW (Laser-induced acoustic waves) is a combined acousto-optic method capable of measuring films with thickness from few nanometers. It utilizes ultrasound surface waves which are excited via short laser pulses and detected by a PVDF foil. Properties such as Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio and density of both the film and the substrate as well as film thickness can be explored.Results from the LAW method are successfully compared with nanoindentation for Young’s modulus evaluation and with optical method for film thickness evaluation and also with literature data. Application of LAW for anisotropy mapping of materials with cubic crystallographic lattice is also demonstrated.