Irreversible Thermodynamic Discussions about Ferroelectric Phase Transitions

Abstract

The irreversibility of ferroelectric phase transitions has been studied by using the irreversible thermodynamics. The thermal hysteresis of first-order ferroelectric phase transitions and the polydomain structure of ferroelectrics can be explained on the basis of the principle of minimum entropy production. A conclusion has been derived that the thermal hysteresis is not an intrinsic property of a system in which a first-order ferroelectric phase transition occurs. The finiteness of the systems surface is connected with the thermal hysteresis.