The symmetry of inner elastic constants

Abstract

The symmetry of inner elastic constants depends on the symmetry of the fundamental interlattice tensors from which they are built up. The number of independent interlattice tensors and their symmetries are determined by considering transformations of the interlattice index using a representation of the space group in which the not-purely-translational elements correspond to permutations. The method is explained and illustrated in detail. The non-zero components of the interlattice tensors are determined by standard methods and results are tabulated for the six species of tensor under consideration.