Low-temperature plasticity and lattice dynamics of solid parahydrogen with an isotopic impurity

The low-temperature plasticity of solid polycrystalline parahydrogen doped with an isotopic impurity (deuterium) is studied. The dependences of the rate of steady-state creep in p-H₂ on the impurity concentration and stress are obtained. The deformation of p-H₂ is described with inclusion of the zero-point mean-square displacements 〈x²〉 of particles making up a crystal. The calculated and experimental values of 〈x²〉 are compared for two possible isotope molecules (HD and D₂) at three stress levels. A correlation between the 〈x²〉 values and an increase in the force constants of a p-H₂ crystal doped with the isotopic impurity is established. An increase in the mean-square displacements of p-H₂ with the tensile load is discussed. Deformation-induced purification of a p-H₂ crystal from the isotopic impurity is suggested to occur.