Nonlinear Elastic, Ultrasonic and Thermophysical Properties of Lead Telluride

Abstract

We report the temperature-dependent elastic, thermal and ultrasonic properties of lead telluride (PbTe) along $$ \left $$ , $$ \left $$ , and $$ \left $$ orientations. The Born model is used to compute nonlinear second- and third-order elastic constants. Further, the higher order elastic constants have been used to compute ultrasonic velocities, ultrasonic Gruneisen parameters, thermal relaxation time, thermal conductivity, acoustic coupling constants, and ultrasonic attenuation. Additionally, some mechanical constants, e.g., Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, tetragonal modulus, Zener anisotropy factor, Breazeale nonlinear constants, and first-order pressure derivatives have been computed for PbTe. Born Criterion for mechanical stability is satisfied by PbTe, since the value of Pugh’s ratio (the ratio of bulk modulus and shear modulus) is less than 1.75 which shows brittle nature of PbTe. Computed results are correlated with theoretical and experimental data available in literatures.