Effect of an electric field on ferroelastic phase transitions

The effect of an external electric field on the proper ferroelastic phase transitions described in a two-dimensional representation of the D _4h class is analyzed theoretically. The electric field induces a Lifshitz invariant. It is shown that this invariant does not lead to the formation of an incommensurate phase. The phase diagram for commensurate transitions occurring under the action of an electric field changes significantly. The second-order phase transition from the initial phase is split by an electric field of specific orientation into a sequence of two second-order phase transitions with close temperatures.