This book begins by introducing the effective field approach, the simplest approach to phase transitions. It provides an intuitive approximation to the physics of such diverse phenomena as liquid-vapor transitions, ferromagnetism, superconductivity, order-disorder in alloys, ferroelectricity, superfluidity and ferroelasticity. The connection between the effective field approach and Landau's theory is stressed. The main coverage is devoted to specific applications of the effective field concept to ferroelectric systems, both hydrogen bonded ferroelectrics, like those in the TGS family, and oxide ferroelectrics, like pure and mixed perovskites. Sample Chapter(s). Chapter 1: An Overview (310 KB). Contents: Mean Field Approach to Cooperative Phenomena; Some Applications to Ferroelectrics: 1970OCo1991; Some Applications to Ferroelectrics: 1991OCo1997; Some Applications to Ferroelectrics: 1998OCo2005. Readership: Materials scientists, physicists and chemists in academy and industry; final year undergraduates and graduates in materials science."

The first half of the book presents the effective field approach, which is certainly the simplest approach to investigate cooperative phenomena and the accompanying phase transitions. It provides a common, intuitive approximation to the physics of such diverse phenomena as liquid-vapor transitions, ferromagnetism, superconductivity, order-disorder in alloys, ferroelectricity, superfluidity and ferroelasticity. The connection between the effective field approach and Landau's phenomenological theory is stressed. The latter half is devoted to some specific applications of the effective field concept to ferroelectric systems. Contents:Mean Field Approach to Cooperative Phenomena:An OverviewLiquid-Vapour TransitionsFerromagnetic TransitionsSuperconductive TransitionsOrder-Disorder Transitions in AlloysFerroelectric TransitionsSuperfluid TransitionsFerroelastic TransitionsLandau Theory and Effective Field Approach. Role of FluctuationsEquation of State and the Scaling FunctionAppendix: Effective Field Approach to Superconductors and SuperfluidsSome Application to Ferroelectric Systems:Behaviour at T ≊ Tc of Pure Ferroelectric Systems with Second-Order Phase TransitionEffects of Dipolar Impurities in Small AmountsMixed Ferro-Antiferroelectric Systems and other Mixed Ferroelectric SystemsComments on “Ferroelectricity in Zinc Cadmium Telluride“ Relaxation Phenomena near TcPolarization Reversal in Ferroelectric SystemsPolarization Switching by Domain Wall MotionSwitching Current Pulse ShapeElementary Excitations in Ferroelectrics: Dipole WavesLow Temperature Behaviour of FerroelectricsLogarithmic Corrections Readership: Condensed matter physicists, statistical physicists and physical chemists.

Based on a graduate course on phase transitions at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, in 1989. Presents a simple explanation of the effective field approach to investigate phase transitions, a well established procedure. Applies the method to a few phase transitions, mostly solid state, with special attention to ferroelectric systems. Acidic paper. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

This book begins by introducing the effective field approach, the simplest approach to phase transitions. It provides an intuitive approximation to the physics of such diverse phenomena as liquid-vapor transitions, ferromagnetism, superconductivity, order-disorder in alloys, ferroelectricity, superfluidity and ferroelasticity. The connection between the effective field approach and Landau's theory is stressed.The main coverage is devoted to specific applications of the effective field concept to ferroelectric systems, both hydrogen bonded ferroelectrics, like those in the TGS family, and oxide ferroelectrics, like pure and mixed perovskites.

Ferroelectric materials exhibit a wide spectrum of functional properties, including switchable polarization, piezoelectricity, high non-linear optical activity, pyroelectricity, and non-linear dielectric behaviour. These properties are crucial for application in electronic devices such as sensors, microactuators, infrared detectors, microwave phase filters and, non-volatile memories. This unique combination of properties of ferroelectric materials has attracted researchers and engineers for a long time. This book reviews a wide range of diverse topics related to the phenomenon of ferroelectricity (in the bulk as well as thin film form) and provides a forum for scientists, engineers, and students working in this field. The present book containing 24 chapters is a result of contributions of experts from international scientific community working in different aspects of ferroelectricity related to experimental and theoretical work aimed at the understanding of ferroelectricity and their utilization in devices. It provides an up-to-date insightful coverage to the recent advances in the synthesis, characterization, functional properties and potential device applications in specialized areas.

This monograph represents an extension of the author''s original PhD thesis and includes a more thorough discussion on the concepts and mathematics behind his research works on the foam model, as applied to studying issues of phase stability and elasticity for various non-closed packed structures found in fuzzy and colloidal crystals, as well as on a renormalization-group analysis regarding the critical behavior of loop polymers upon which topological constraints are imposed. The common thread behind these two research works is their demonstration of the importance and effectiveness of utilizing geometrical and topological concepts for modeling and understanding soft systems undergoing phase transitions.

Magnetic, Ferroelectric, and Multiferroic Metal Oxides covers the fundamental and theoretical aspects of ferroics and magnetoelectrics, their properties, and important technological applications, serving as the most comprehensive, up-to-date reference on the subject. Organized in four parts, Dr. Biljana Stojanovic leads expert contributors in providing the context to understand the material (Part I: Introduction), the theoretical and practical aspects of ferroelectrics (Part II: Ferroelectrics: From Theory, Structure and Preparation to Application), magnetic metal oxides (Part III: Magnetic Oxides: Ferromagnetics, Antiferromagnetics and Ferrimagnetics), multiferroics (Part IV: Multiferroic Metal Oxides) and future directions in research and application (Part V: Future of Metal Oxide Ferroics and Multiferroics). As ferroelectric materials are used to make capacitors with high dielectric constant, transducers, and actuators, and in sensors, reed heads, and memories based on giant magnetoresistive effects, this book will provide an ideal source for the most updated information. - Addresses ferroelectrics, ferromagnetics and multiferroelectrics, providing a one-stop reference for researchers - Provides fundamental theory and relevant, important technological applications - Highlights their use in capacitors with high dielectric constant, transducers, and actuators, and in sensors, reed heads, and memories based on giant magnetoresistive effects