Welcome

The International Workshop on Phononic Crystals focuses on periodic materials and structures that exhibit frequency-banded acoustic characteristics namely stop bands (band gaps), pass bands, and response directionality. In these systems, often referred to as phononic/sonic materials/crystals, wave scattering and dispersion occur across the periodic elements, inducing mechanisms of constructive and destructive interference that result in a banded frequency response. Due to their unique properties, phononic crystals have the potential to revolutionize the field of acoustic devices and systems. Their optical counterparts (i.e., photonic crystals) have already demonstrated unique properties that are not achieved using conventional bulk materials. Imminent impact of phononic crystals is expected in the near future in applications like wireless communications, sensing, acoustic signal processing, and ultrasound. Novel devices are being enabled by the use of PnCs with outstanding performance measures as acoustic filters, resonators, sources, lenses, negative refraction, etc. For example, the recent demonstration of very high Q resonators (>6 K and potentially several 10K) at VHF frequency range in silicon PnCs, as well as the demonstration of novel effects like cloaking or superlensing effect at ultrasound regime can enable several functional structures with performances that cannot be obtained with conventional acoustic materials.

The purpose of this workshop is to bring together the leaders in the field of PnCs from different backgrounds for the strategic mission of identifying current challenges and possible solutions and opportunities, highlighting the most promising potentials of PnC structures, and prioritizing the efforts on developing the field. The outcome of the workshop will be useful for researchers as well as policy makers in deciding about their directions in this field. Collaborations among the participants in forming international and multi-disciplinary research teams for solving the facing challenges will be encouraged. This is further facilitated by the diverse and multi-disciplinary expertise of the workshop invited participants.

Some of the current possible impacts of the PnC structures are the use of PnC structures working at high frequency to improve the performance of the current micromechanical devices used in wireless communication and sensing systems. Application of PnC structures operating at low frequencies for underwater acoustics and the possible new functionalities that can be introduced using PnC structures in similar applications will be another area of focus. The impact of PnC structures on other fields and their comparison to the conventional approaches to achieve the desired functionalities will also be discussed.