Three-body interactions, rotational invariance and the elastic consistency of lattice dynamical models for face-centred tetragonal indium

Abstract

The origin of the elastic inconsistency ofdaf, mas andgtf models for non-cubic solids and the failure of their force constants to comply with all the rotational invariance conditions are analysed by resolving the atomic displacements of face-centred tetragonal indium along three mutually perpendicular directions. It is shown that a lattice dynamical model suffers from these deficiencies as a consequence of its neglect of three-body interactions as well as the mixed neighbour interactions associated with the angular forces, while thecgw model which incorporates both these interactions is elastically consistent and its potential energy rotationally invariant. The degree of equivalence that exists among the force constants ofdaf, mas, gtf andcgw models, the distortions introduced by the elastic inconsistency into the phonon dispersion curves of fct indium as well as the consequences of imposing the rotational invariance conditions on the force constants of a lattice dynamical model are discussed.