Elastic constants of chromium in the single Q-domain state

Abstract
Measurements of the temperature dependence of the elastic constants of single Q-domain chromium in the cubic (T>TN), orthorhombic (TsfN) and tetragonal (Tsf) phases as well as in the cubic multi-Q phase, are reported. The behaviour of the shear constants near Tsf differs significantly for the single-Q and multi-Q phases. The authors found no magnetic contribution, except near Tsf, to c44 and c55 for TN. In the case of c66, on the other hand, a significant magnetic contribution exists below TN. The constants c11, c22, c33, c12, c13 and c23 show large lambda -type anomalies at TN with smaller anomalies at Tsf. The results are discussed in terms of the phenomenological theories of Cowan (1978) and Walker (1980).
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