Anomalous elasticity and anelasticity of GdCu at low temperatures

The temperature dependence of the single crystal and polycrystalline elastic constants of GdCu compound have been determined between the ambient and 77 K, the interval in which the structural instability occurs. From the shear constants, C' and C₄₄ the magnitude of the elastic anisotropy was calculated, and found to be close to unity over the whole temperature range. This is in contrast with the expected behavior of the elastic anisotropy in the vicinity of martensitic transformations, where the anisotropy attains appreciable values. The large changes of the shear elastic constants, relative to the compressional constant suggests that the structural instability in GdCu is induced by a mechanism of isotropic shear. The peak in the ultrasonic attenuation is symmetric, typical of a relaxational process. The behavior of the elastic properties and ultrasonic attenuation in the temperature interval of the structural instability of GdCu is discussed.