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.

Contents:

• Mean Field Approach to Cooperative Phenomena
• Some Applications to Ferroelectrics: 1970–1991
• Some Applications to Ferroelectrics: 1991–1997
• Some Applications to Ferroelectrics: 1998–2005