Thermal desorption from the surfaces of films and polycrystals undergo
ing semiconductor-metal (VO2), ferroelectric-paraelectric (Ba0.9Sr0.1T
iO3 and TsTS-19), ferromagnet-paramagnet (Ni) phase transitions has be
en investigated. A sharp increase in the desorption activity of a surf
ace was observed near a phase transition. The increase in the thermal
desorption signal is caused by local deformations which arise in a sol
id at a phase transition. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.