The generalized surface, pseudosurface, and high-frequency pseudosurface ac
oustic waves propagating on (001), (110), and (111) surfaces of GaAs have b
een examined using Brillouin spectroscopy. The phase velocities of the surf
ace acoustic waves were measured as a function of their propagating directi
ons over the entire angular periods on the respective basal planes. Unlike
the single dispersion curve arising from the branching from the generalized
surface mode to the pseudosurface mode, commonly observed for anisotropic
cubic crystals, two separate and distinct dispersion branches were recorded
for these surface modes on the (001) surface. The complete dispersion bran
ch of high-frequency pseudosurface acoustic waves on the (110) surface has
been determined. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.