This article introduces a pioneering concept of acoustic crystals designed by a team at the Technische Universität Chemnitz, Germany. These crystals exhibit smooth, continuous changes in their elastic properties, diverging from the traditional design with strict periodic variations. By utilizing high-performance computer simulations, the research demonstrated that even minor deviations from conventional structures could induce significant alterations in the phononic band structure. This discovery paves the way for advancements in materials science, with potential applications ranging from phononic lenses to acousto-mechanical transducers and actuators. For further details, you can read the full article on Phys.org: