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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
The elastic energy of a solid solution of atoms of different sizes can be written as a Fourier sum with coefficients as a function of position in reciprocal space. Each coefficient is made up of three components. The first one is an energy associated with taking atoms of the pure elements and placing them randomly on the average lattice o f the alloy. The second one is an elastic gradient energy associated with composition fluctuations and which is proportional to the second derivative of the dispersion curve. The third is the relaxation energy concerned with the motion of atoms away from the average lattice to more comfortable positions. Because of the contribution of the elastic gradient energy, it is shown that the shape of the phonon dispersion curve can affect precipitation or ordering in a solid solution.