In the Al-Pd-Mn system, large single crystals of high structural quality ca
n be grown of the icosahedral and the xi'-phase. The latter is an approxima
nt of the icosahedral phase. Though the structure of xi'-Al-Pd-Mn is period
ic, it possesses a local order which is very close to that of the icosahedr
al phase. In this paper, we present a comparative study of the plastic beha
viour of single crystals of the icosahedral and the xi'-phase. (C) 2000 Els
evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.