We studied the electron-strain interaction for the singlet-ground-state compound TmSb using ultrasonic measurements to observe the quantum oscillation of elastic constants. Their oscillatory intensity was highly anisotropic depending on the applied field direction, and on the propagation and polarization direction of the ultrasonic wave. This anisotropy has been explained by response theory based on effective-mass approximation. Our analysis provides coupling coefficients between itinerant electrons and the lattice system. From the width of the Fermi-surface splitting, we obtained exchange interactions between localized and itinerant electrons.

• Received 6 November 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.67.224103