A theoretical study of the propagation of Rayleigh waves in a functionally graded piezoelectric material (FGPM).

An exact approach is used to investigate Rayleigh waves in a functionally graded piezoelectric material (FGPM) layer bonded to a semi infinite homogenous solid. The piezoelectric material is polarized when the six fold symmetry axis is put along the propagation direction x(1). The FGPM character imposes that the material properties change gradually with the thickness of the layer.