Electric-field-induced phase transition and electrocaloric effect in PMN-PT

Ferroelectric perovskite oxides possess a large electrocaloric (EC) effect, but usually at high temperatures near the ferroelectric/paraelectric phase transition temperature, which limits their potential application as next-generation solid-state cooling devices. We use classical molecular dynamics to study the electric-field-induced phase transitions and EC effect in PMN-PT $(\mathrm{PbM}{\mathrm{g}}_1/3\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{b}}_2/3{\mathrm{O}}₃\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{PbTi}{\mathrm{O}}₃)$. We find that the maximum EC strength of PMN-PT occurs within the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region at 300 K. The large adiabatic temperature change is caused by easy rotation of polarization within the MPB region.