Method for Analyzing Second-Order Phase Transitions: Application to the Ferromagnetic Transition of a Polaronic System

Abstract

A new method for analyzing second-order phase transitions is presented and applied to the polaronic system La(0.7)Ca(0.3)MnO3. It utilizes heat capacity and thermal expansion data simultaneously to correctly predict the critical temperature's pressure dependence. Analysis of the critical phenomena reveals second-order behavior and an unusually large heat capacity exponent.