Theory of ultrasonic dispersion in local phonon systems coupled with conduction electrons

Abstract

The physical origin of frequency dependence in elastic constants, which are often found in an ultrasound propagation in filled skutterudites and clathrate compounds, is investigated theoretically. This dependence arises from a coupling between the acoustic phonon and some optical phonons, which strongly interact with electrons. Using a self-consistent ladder approximation together with a pseudofermion mapping of the phonon to the single site Holstein Anderson model, a soft mode of the optical phonon at zero frequency is shown to emerge. The temperature dependence of the spectral weight of this soft mode shows an activation-type behavior, which is characterized by the optical phonon frequency. These features can generate the frequency dependence and the shoulder in the elastic constants observed in some filled skutterudites and clathrate compounds. ©2007 The Physical Society of Japan.