Elastic constants of antiferromagnetic chromium-vanadium alloys

Single crystals of chromium alloys containing 0.67 and 1.5% vanadium were prepared by the floating-zone technique. Elastic constants and attenuation were measured by the pulse-echo method between 77 and 300 K. The changes of the elastic properties in the paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic states and in particular at the magnetic transition are described and discussed.