title: Landau model for the elastic properties of the ferroelastic crystal Rb(4)LiH(3)(SO(4))(4).
abstract: Using sound velocity measurements, we report a detailed investigation of the elastic properties of Rb(4)LiH(3)(SO(4))(4) realized as a function of temperature and pressure. Results are compared to predictions of a phenomenological Landau model. Supported by recent Raman scattering measurements, we assume that the [Formula: see text] structural transformation observed at T(c) = 134 K corresponds to a pseudo-proper ferroelastic transition. For the numerical analysis, all coupling parameters are determined using the temperature dependence of the frequency of the soft optical B mode, the temperature dependence of spontaneous strains, and the pressure dependence dT(c)/dP = 191 ± 2 K GPa(-1) also determined in this work. Our comparison indicates that the [Formula: see text] structural transition in Rb(4)LiH(3)(SO(4))(4) is fully consistent with predictions derived using our pseudo-proper ferroelastic model. Thus, all data presented in this paper corroborate that the mechanism leading to the structural transition at T(c) = 134 K results from the softening of the B optical mode observed at 31 cm(-1). This detailed analysis also refutes the idea that Rb(4)LiH(3)(SO(4))(4) shows incomplete softening of the soft acoustic mode also associated with that structural transition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, Memorial University, St John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X7, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Quirion
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rideout
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Clouter
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mróz