General expressions for the interlattice displacements of the A-15 structure compounds are obtained in terms of the strain components making use of the deformation theory. The nature of the interlattice displacements of all the 8 atoms in the unit cell is discussed. It is found that the interlattice displacements occur in such a way that the pair of atoms along any linear chain move in opposite directions with equal magnitudes. Expression for the strain energy of these compounds is developed using deformation theory and this is compared with the strain energy expression from continuum theory to obtain the elastic constants. The theoretical values of the elastic constants fairly agree with the experimental values for V₃ Si, V₃Ge and Nb₃ Sn.

Expressions for the higher order elastic constants are derived using the sublattice displacements to the second degree in strains. These expressions are used to obtain the higher order elastic constants and their pressure derivatives in gadolinium. The higher order elastic constants are used to find out the generalized Gruneisen parameters of the elastic waves propagating in different directions in gadolinium. The Brugger gammas are evaluated and the low temperature limit of the Gruneisen gamma is obtained. The results are compared with the available reported values.

Spectroscopically pure bismuth is evaporated onto glass substrates at different substrate temperature using a Hind Hivac coating plant. The electrical conductivity of bismuth thin films, prepared at different substrate temperatures is measured and thermal activation energy is evaluated. From the recorded optical absorption spectrum in the ultraviolet and visible regions optical band gapE_g is determined. X-ray diffractograms are recorded and lattice parameters are determined.

The generalized Grüneisen parameters (γ′_j) and (γ″_j) for cadmium and zirconium were calculated from the second- and third-order elastic constants to determine the low temperature limit of the volume thermal expansion of these metals of hexagonal symmetry. The low temperature limit of cadmium and zirconium was calculated to be positive values indicating a positive volume expansion down to 0 K even though many Grüneisen gammas were found to be negative.