Eur. Phys. J. B (2014) 87: 85
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2014-40903-1

Regular Article

Non-linear elastic behaviour of hexagonal cadmium sulfide single crystals

School of Pure and Applied Physics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills PO, Kottayam, 686 560 Kerala, India

^a e-mail: spapmenon47@gmail.com

Received: 9 October 2013
Received in final form: 4 March 2014
Published online: 9 April 2014

Abstract

Elastic characterization of wide direct band gap semiconductor cadmium sulfide has been studied using finite strain elasticity theory. The complete sets of second and third order elastic constants are obtained using the method of homogeneous deformation for single crystal cadmium sulfide in hexagonal wurtzite phase. All the third order elastic constants are negative; indicating an increase of vibrational frequencies under stress, giving rise to an increase in the strain energy. The longitudinal wave velocities C₁₁₁, C₂₂₂ and C₃₃₃ in the single crystal cadmium sulfide is greater than the shear wave velocity. The six first order pressure derivatives of the second order elastic constants obtained indicate the higher compressibility of the cadmium sulfide crystal along the c-axis. The generalised Grüneisen parameters of the acoustic waves and the low temperature limit of lattice thermal expansion are determined. The obtained results are compared with the available reported values.