Phase transitions in a transverse spin-1/2 Ising ferroelectric superlattice

Within the framework of the mean-field theory, we study the phase transitio ns of transverse spin-1/2 Ising ferroelectric superlattices formed from two alternating materials. By the transfer matrix method, we derive a nonlinea r equation for the phase transition temperature of the superlattice with ar bitrary layer-number in one period and arbitrary exchange constants. The de pendence of the transition temperature on the layer-number and the interfac e exchange constant was calculated numerically. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.