Strain-engineered divergent electrostriction in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>KTaO</mml:mi><mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:math>

We investigate the electrostrictive response across a ferroelectric phase transition from first-principles calculations and show that $M$, field-induced tensor, controlling amplitude of electric-field induced strain, can be made arbitrarily large through strain engineering. take as case study epitaxial strain-induced para- to ferroelectricity ${\mathrm{KTaO}}_{3}$. magnitude electrostriction diverges with permittivity at transition, hence exhibiting giant responses calculation both $M$ $Q$ tensors. explain origin this in ${\mathrm{KTaO}}_{3}$ using microscopic decomposition coefficients, use understanding propose design rules for development future electrostrictors electromechanical applications. Finally, we introduce further means calculate electrostriction, specific ferroelectrics, not yet utilized literature.