Ferroelectric phase transition in the semiconductor Sn2P2S6 single crystal
has been studied by means of neutron scattering in the pressure-temperature
range adjacent to the anticipated tricritical Lifshitz point (p=0.18GPa,
T=296K). The observations reveal a direct ferroelectric-paraelectric phase
transition in the whole investigated pressure range (0.18 - 0.6GPa). These
results are in a clear disagreement with phase diagrams assumed in numerous
earlier works, according to which a hypothetical intermediate incommensurate
phase extends over several or even tens of degrees in the 0.5GPa pressure
range. Temperature dependence of the anisotropic quasielastic diffuse
scattering suggests that polarization fluctuations present above TC are
strongly reduced in the ordered phase. Still, the temperature dependence of the
(200) Bragg reflection intensity at p=0.18GPa can be remarkably well modeled
assuming the order-parameter amplitude growth according to the power law with
logarithmic corrections predicted for a uniaxial ferroelectric transition at
the tricritical Lifshitz point
