Surface requirements for piezoelectric generation of high-frequency phonons

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Abstract
Previously reported experimental results on the generation of terahertz phonons in quartz through piezoelectric surface excitation with far-infrared laser light have proven not to be repeatable. It is postulated that surface roughness and subsurface damage are contributing factors to this result. An analysis of these effects leads to the result that, for piezoelectric generation to be feasible, the scale of the damage and roughness must be of the same order, or be less, than the phonon wavelength, i.e., of the order of 1 to 10 nm.