Study of a simple model ferroelectric using the effective potential method

Abstract
We have applied the effective potential formalism to a simple one-dimensional model of a ferroelectric crystal. The method incorporates quantum effects into a partition function of classical form, which greatly simplifies the calculation. Our results for the nature of the phase transitions, the transition temperatures, and the temperature dependence of the ordering parameter, are all in very good agreement with a full quantum mechanical calculation. Pacs 63.70, 77.80, 64.60.C