Supersoft elastic parameters and low melting temperature of the C49 phase in TiSi2 by Brillouin scattering and molecular dynamics

In this letter, we show that the polymorphic C49 form of TiSi2 has much sma ller elastic constants than those of the C54 bulk-stable structure and that its melting temperature is about 300 degrees C lower. These issues supply intriguing hints in explaining the kinetic advantage of the C49 over the C5 4 phase and in understanding the role of the elastic energy in the phase tr ansformation from C49 to C54. (c) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S000 3-6951(99)03023-5].