Paraelectricity
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Paraelectricity occurs in crystal phases in which electric dipoles are unaligned (i.e. unordered domains that are electrically charged) and thus have the potential to align in an external electric field and strengthen it. In comparison to the ferroelectric phase, the domains are unordered and the internal field is weak.
The LiNbO3 crystal is ferroelectric below 1430 K, and above this temperature it turns to paraelectric phase. Other perovskites similarly exhibit paraelectricity at high temperatures.
Paraelectricity may provide an alterative to the traditional heat pump. A current applied to a paraelectric material will cause it to cool down - which could be useful for refrigeration or for cooling computer chips.
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