Ultrasonic grating (original) (raw)

An ultrasonic grating is a type of diffraction grating produced by interfering ultrasonic waves in a medium altering the physical properties of the medium, and hence the refractive index, in a grid-like pattern. The term acoustic grating is a more general term that includes operation at audible frequencies. An ultrasonic wave is a sound wave at a frequency greater than 20 kHz. The human ear cannot recognize ultrasonic waves, but animals such as bats and dogs can. Ultrasonic waves can be produced by the piezoelectric effect and magnetostriction.