title: Paraelectric and ferroelectric order in two-state dipolar fluids.
abstract: Monte Carlo simulations are used to examine the cooperative creation of a polar state in fluids of two-state particles with nonzero dipole in the excited state. With lowering temperature such systems undergo a second-order transition from nonpolar to polar, paraelectric phase. The transition is accompanied by a dielectric anomaly of polarization susceptibility increasing by three orders of magnitude. The paraelectric phase is then followed by a formation of a nematic ferroelectric which further freezes into a fcc ferroelectric crystal by a first-order transition. A mean-field model of phase transitions is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 871604, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1604, USA. dmitrym@asu.edu
authors.forename: Dmitry V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Matyushov
authors.forename: Andriy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okhrimovskyy
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D007700:Kinetics; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents