Electric field induced phase transition in first order ferroelectrics with large zero point energy

An electric field induced phase transition in first order ferroelectrics with very large zero point energy is studied on the framework of the effective field approach. It is well known that when the zero point energy of a system is relatively large, the ferroelectric behaviour is depressed and no phase transition can be observed. The critical value Omega(cf) of zero point energy for whom the phase transition disappears turns out to be dependant on the order of transition. For zero point energies larger than this critical value, a phase transition may be induced applying an external electric field. This temperature dependence of the induced polarization shows a discontinuous step when the applied electric field is weak, but becoming a continuous one at a strong applied electric field. Another critical value of zero point energy Omega(cp) > Omega(cf) is deduced for which no phase transition at all can be attained. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.