Oltulu, O.Mamedov, A. M.Özbay, Ekmel2018-04-122018-04-1220170947-8396http://hdl.handle.net/11693/36375The vast majority of acoustic wave propagation in phononic band studies has been usually carried out by scattering inclusions embedded in a viscoelastic medium, such as air or water. In this study, we present calculated band structure results for the two-dimensional square array geometry of a solid cylindrical scatterer surrounded by a liquid crystal (LC) matrix. Liquid crystals provide a unique combination of liquid-like and crystal-like properties as well as anisotropic properties. The purpose of using LC material is to take advantage of longitudinal acoustic waves propagating parallel () and perpendicular (⊥) to the nematic liquid crystal (NLC) director n. The compound used in this study was a room temperature NLC, called 5CB (4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl). The acoustic band structure of a two-dimensional phononic crystal containing a 5CB NLC and lithium tantalate was investigated by the plane wave expansion method. The theoretical results show that the solid/LC system can be tuned in a favorable configuration for adjusting or shifting acoustic band gaps. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.EnglishAcoustic devicesAcoustic wavesAcousticsBand structureCrystal structureEnergy gapLiquid crystalsLiquidsNematic liquid crystalsPhononsAcoustic band gapsAnisotropic propertyLongitudinal acoustic wavesNematic liquid crystals (NLC)Plane wave expansion methodTwo-dimensional liquid crystalsTwo-dimensional phononic crystalsVisco-elastic mediumsAcoustic wave propagationArticle10.1007/s00339-016-0623-5