Temperature changes in the components of piezoelectric, elastic and dielectric tensors were studied in L-alanine crystals in the range 100-300 K. A jumpwise increase in the c(55) component of the elastic stiffness accompanied by maxima in damping of all face-shear modes observed at 199 K in L-alanine crystal were interpreted as a result of changes in the NH(3)(+) vibrations occurring through electron-phonon coupling. All components of the piezoelectric tensor show small anomalies in this temperature range. The components of the electromechanical coupling coefficient determined indicate that L-alanine is a weak piezoelectric.
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