Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
We present a review of critical phenomena in a variety of nanoscale multilayer materials. Discontinuities of interdiffusitives at low temperatures, “the Supermodulus effect” and the “softening” of elastic constants of fcc-bcc structures, other mechanical properties at critical layer thickness are also presented. Some new calculations of elastic constants of (111) fcc and (110) bcc metallic superlattices show large changes as a function of homogeneous lattice strains. The effect of structural relaxations on a number of electronic and magnetic properties is discussed and a new analytical model is developed to explain the origin of interference effects when interfaces are apart by a few interplanar spacings. This model can predict relaxations at interfaces for a variety of materials including metals, semiconductors and ceramics.