Abstract

A quantum description of the surface waves in an isotropic elastic body without the use of the semiclassical quantization is proposed. The problem about the surface waves is formulated in the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian representations. Within the framework of the generalized Debye model, the contribution of the surface phonons (“rayleighons”) to thermodynamic functions is calculated. It is emphasized that the role of the surface phonons can be significant and even decisive in low-dimensional systems, granular and porous media, and that their contribution to the total heat capacity increases with decreasing temperature.

Key words: Rayleigh surface waves, phonon, Debye model, entropy, heat capacity.