Step-by-step first order antiferroelectric-paraelectric transition induced by frustration and electric field
P. V. Dolganov, E. I. Kats+, V. K. Dolganov
Institute of Solid State Physics of the RAS, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
+Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics RAS, 117940 Moscow, Russia
Abstract
In this work we show analytically that even not too strong frustrating
next neighbour interaction strongly affects first order
antiferroelectric-paraelectric transition in an external electric field.
We apply mean-field
Landau theory. In the electric field a single phase transition at
T0 splits
into a step-by-step staircase with a series of intermediate phases.
Unexpectedly enough we found that the equilibrium structures of the
phases differ substantially from structures formed at low temperature
both without field and in field. Polarization of intermediate structures
decreases with temperature in a stepwise manner. Similar step-by-step
transitions can occur also in magnetic materials with frustrating
interaction.