Computer simulation of the structural phase transitions in thin ferroelectric films

Abstract

The influence of free surface and depolarizing field on structural phase transitions in thin ferroelectric films from an ordered state to a disordered one is investigated. The dependences of the order parameter on the distance from the free film surface are calculated. It is shown that with the presence of the depolarizing field and in its absence, the effective thickness of the surface layer depends on the temperature. Nearby the phase transition point, the thickness increases indefinitely. Calculations considering depolarizing field showed that the phase transition points for the bulk ferroelectrics and the film under given boundary conditions coincide. Also shown that in the absence of depolarizing field with mixed boundary conditions, the film thickness does not affect the order parameter, and in presence of the field, this influence is observed.

Keywords

• Ferroelectrics
• orientation order
• thin films
• Heisenberg model
• structural transition
• depolarizing field