Relationship between structural phase transitions and elastic anomalies in metallic superlattices

A detailed study of the structural and elastic properties of Fe/Cu superlattices has been performed. These superlattices exhibit a structural phase transition as a function of layer thickness in which bcc α-Fe transforms into fcc γ-Fe. This structural phase transition in which the Fe layers become coherent with the Cu layers is signaled by clear-cut changes in elastic and magnetic properties. The elastic properties studied through this transition indicate that in-plane coherency plays an important role in the elastic behavior of metallic superlattices.