Motivated by a recent experiment on acoustic lenses, we perform numerical calculations based on a multiple scattering technique to investigate the focusing of acoustic waves with sonic crystals formed by rigid cylinders in air. The focusing effects for crystals of various shapes are examined. The dependence of the focusing length on the filling factor is also studied. It is observed that both the shape and filling factor play a crucial role in controlling the focusing. Furthermore, the robustness of the focusing against disorders is studied. The results show that the sensitivity of the focusing behavior depends on the strength of positional disorders. The theoretical results compare favorably with the experimental observations, reported by Cervera, et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. $88,$ 023902 (2002)].

• Received 20 November 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.67.036603