ACOUSTIC BAND-STRUCTURE OF PERIODIC ELASTIC COMPOSITES

We present the first full band-structure calculations for periodic, el astic composites. For transverse polarization of the vibrations we obt ain a ''phononic'' band gap which extends throughout the Brillouin zon e. A complete acoustic gap or a low density of states should have impo rtant consequences for the suppression of zero-point motion and for th e localization of phonons, and may lead to improvements in transducers and in the creation of a vibrationless environment.