Localized charged states and phase separation near second order phase transition

TL;DR

This paper investigates how Coulomb interactions influence localized charged states and phase separation near second-order phase transitions using Ginzburg-Landau theory, highlighting the conditions that favor charge segregation.

Contribution

It introduces a phenomenological model incorporating Coulomb interactions to describe charge localization and phase separation near second-order transitions.

Findings

Charge segregation is facilitated by large dielectric constant and low charge density.

Phase diagram illustrating conditions for phase separation is calculated.

Energy gain from phase separation is estimated.

Abstract

Localized charged states and phase segregation are described in the framework of the phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau theory of phase transitions. The Coulomb interactions determines the charge distribution and the characteristic length of the phase separated states. The phase separation with charge segregation becomes possible because of the large dielectric constant and the small density of extra charge in the range of charge localization. The phase diagram is calculated and the energy gain of the phase separated state is estimated. The role of the Coulomb interaction is elucidated.