Dielectric Properties of

Materials
What are dielectrics?
• Any material that supports charge without conducting it to a
significant degree.
• All insulators are dielectric,
• But all dielectrics need not necessarily be insulators!
• The capacity to support charge varies greatly between different
insulators
How does a dielectric support a charge, yet
not conduct?
• Answer: by a mechanism called POLARIZATION
• A dielectric supports charge by acquiring a polarization in an
electric field, whereby one surface develops a net positive
charge while the opposite surface develops a net negative
charge.
• Made possible by the presence of electric dipoles – two
opposite charges separated by a certain distance
Two interpretations of dipoles in a dielectric:
2. If the centre of positive charge within a
1. Two discrete charged particles of opposite given region and the centre of negative
charges are separated by a certain distance, a charge within the same region are not in the
dipole moment μ arises. same position, a dipole moment μ arises.
Some definitions
• The electric dipole moment:
• Polarization:
 Dielectric Constant

• Dielectric Constant is the ratio between the permittivity of

the medium to the permittivity of free space.

r = 
0

The characteristics of a dielectric material are

determined by the dielectric constant and it has no
units.
 Electric Polarization
The process of producing electric dipoles by an electric field is
called polarization in dielectrics.

Polarizability:

The induced dipole moment per unit electric field is called

Polarizability.
The induced dipole moment is proportional to the intensity of the
electric field.
E
 = E
 → polarizabi lity constant
Polarization vector:
The dipole moment per unit volume of the dielectric
material is called polarization vector.

q x
n
i i

P= i=1

V
Electric flux Density (D):
Electric flux density is defined as charge per unit area and it has same
units of dielectric polarization.
Electric flux density D at a point in a free space or air in terms of Electric
field strength is

D0 =  0E - -  (1)

At the same point in a medium is given by

D = E - -  (2)
As the polarization measures the additional flux density arising from the
presence of material as compared to free space

i.e, D = 0E + P - -  (3)

 Using equations 2 & 3 we get

E =  0 E + P
( -  0 ) E = P
(or) ( r . 0 -  0 ) E = P
( r −1) 0 .E = P
Electric susceptibility:
The polarization vector P is proportional to the
total electric flux density and direction of electric
field.
Therefore the polarization vector can be written

P = 0eE
P
e =
0E
=
 0 ( r − 1) E
0E
e = r − 1
The Dielectric Constant
• The dielectric constant of a material provides a measure of its
effect on a capacitor.
• It is the ratio of the capacitance of a capacitor containing the
dielectric to that of an identical but empty capacitor.
The dielectric constant,  or r
Electric flux Density (D):
Electric flux density is defined as charge per unit area and it has same
units of dielectric polarization.
Electric flux density D at a point in a free space or air in terms of Electric
field strength is

D0 =  0E - -  (1)

At the same point in a medium is given by

D = E - -  (2)
As the polarization measures the additional flux density arising from the
presence of material as compared to free space

i.e, D = 0E + P - -  (3)

 Using equations 2 & 3 we get

E =  0 E + P
( -  0 ) E = P
(or) ( r . 0 -  0 ) E = P
( r −1) 0 .E = P
Electric susceptibility:
The polarization vector P is proportional to the
total electric flux density and direction of electric
field.
Therefore the polarization vector can be written

P = 0eE
P
e =
0E
=
 0 ( r − 1) E
0E
e = r − 1
 Electronic Polarization
• When an EF is applied to an atom, +vely charged
nucleus displaces in the direction of field and ẽ cloud in
opposite direction. This kind of displacement will
produce an electric dipole within the atom.
• i.e, dipole moment is proportional to the magnitude
of field strength and is given by
 e E
or
e =  e E
where ‘αe’is called electronic Polarizability constant
 E

+Ze x

No field fig(1) In the presence of field fig (2)

fig(2) represents displacement of nucleus and electron

cloud and we assume that the –ve charge in the cloud
uniformly distributed over a sphere of radius R and the
spherical shape does not change for convenience.
It increases with increase of volume of the atom.
This kind of polarization is mostly exhibited in Monatomic
gases.

He Ne Ar Kr Xe

e = ____  10-40 F − m2
0.18 0.35 1.46 2.18 3.54

It occurs only at optical frequencies (1015Hz)

It is independent of temperature.
 Expression for Electronic Polarization
Consider a atom in an EF of intensity ‘E’ since the nucleus
(+Ze) and electron cloud (-ze) of the atom have opposite
charges and acted upon by Lorentz force (FL).

Subsequently nucleus moves in the direction of field and

electron cloud in opposite direction.

When electron cloud and nucleus get shifted from their normal
positions, an attractive force b/w them is created and the
seperation continuous until columbic force FC is balanced with
Lorentz force FL, Finally a new equilibriums state is
established.
 Let σ be the charge density of the sphere

 = − Ze
4 3
R
3
- Ze represents the total charge in the sphere.

Thus the - ve charge in the sphere of radius ' x' is

4
q e   .  .x 3
3
− ze 4
 (
4 .R3 3
. .x 3
)
3

− ze 3
= 3
x - - - - - (1)
R

qe .q p  − ze.x 3  − z 2e2 x
(ze ) =
1 1
Now Fc = . = 
2 
- - - - - (2)
40 x2 40 x  R  3
40 R 3
Force experienced by displaced nucleus in EF of Strength E
is FL = Eq = ZeE -----(3)

FL = Fc
− z 2 e2 x
= ZeE - - - - - (4)
40R3
− zex
=E
40 R 3

− zex − zex dipole moment

= E =
40 R3 e e

  e = 4 0 R 3

Hence electronic Polaris ability is directly proportional to cube of the

radius of the atom.
 Ionic polarization

◼ The ionic polarization occurs, when atoms form

molecules and it is mainly due to a relative displacement
of the atomic components of the molecule in the
presence of an electric field.

◼ When a EF is applied to the molecule, the positive ions

displaced by X1 to the negative side electric field and
negative ions displaced by X2 to the positive side of
field.

◼ The resultant dipole moment µ = q ( X1 + X2)..

+
Electric field _

+ _
+ anion _
cat ion
+ _

x1 x2
+
_
+ _
+ _
+ _
Restoring force constant depend upon the mass of the ion and
natural frequency and is given by

F = eE = m.w 20 x
or
eE
x=
m.w02

 x1 + x2 = 2 m + M 
eE 1 1
w0
Where ‘M’ mass of anion and ‘m’ is mass of cat ion

 ionic = e(x1 + x2 ) = 2 m + M 
e2 E 1 1
w0
ionic  e 2 1 1
or ionic =  + M
2 m
w0
E

This polarization occurs at frequency 1013 Hz (IR).

It is a slower process compared to electronic polarization.
It is independent of temperature.
 Orientational Polarization
It is also called dipolar or molecular polarization. The
molecules such as H2 , N2,O2,Cl2 ,CH4,CCl4 etc., does not carry
any dipole because centre of positive charge and centre of
negative charge coincides. On the other hand molecules like
CH3Cl, H2O,HCl, ethyl acetate ( polar molecules) carries
dipoles even in the absence of electric field.

How ever the net dipole moment is negligibly small since all
the molecular dipoles are oriented randomly when there is no
EF. In the presence of the electric field these all dipoles orient
them selves in the direction of field as a result the net dipole
moment becomes enormous.
◼ It occurs at a frequency 106 Hz to 1010Hz.
◼ It is slow process compare to ionic
polarization.
◼ It greatly depends on temperature.
 Expression for orientation polarization

→ N. or
2 .E
Po = N.or ie  ie = N. o .E
3kT
orie
2
o =
3kT

 =  elec + ionic +  or i = 4o R +

3 e2
w02
 + + 3kT
1
M
1
m
ori
2

This is called Langevin – Debye equation for total Polaris ability in

dielectrics.
 Internal fields or local fields

Local field or internal field in a dielectric is the

space and time average of the electric field
intensity acting on a particular molecule in the
dielectric material.
 Evaluation of internal field

Consider a dielectric be placed between the

plates of a parallel plate capacitor and let there
be an imaginary spherical cavity around the
atom A inside the dielectric.

The internal field at the atom site ‘A’ can be

made up of four components E1 ,E2, E3 & E4.
 + + + + + + + + + ++
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
+ + +
+
+ + Dielectric
+ + material
_ A _
_ _ _
_
Spherical _
Cavity + + + + _
+ + +
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
E
Field E1:
E1 is the field intensity at A due to the charge density
on the plates
D
E1 =
0
D = 0E + P
0E + P
E1 =
0
P
E1 = E + ..........(1)
0
Field E2:
E2 is the field intensity at A due to the charge
density induced on the two sides of the dielectric.

−P
E2 = ...........(2)
0

Field E3:
E3 is the field intensity at A due to the atoms
contained in the cavity, we are assuming a cubic
structure, so E3 = 0.
 + + +
+
+ +
+ +
+ +
+ A +
_  d r _
_ _
r R
E _ _
_ p q
dA _ _ _
_ _
dA = 2 . pq.qR
dA = 2 .r sin  .rd 
dA = 2 .r 2 sin d 
The total charge present on the surface area dA is given by:

dq = ( normal component of polarization ) x (Surface area )

dq = p cos   dA
dq = 2r 2 p cos  .sin  .d
 1 dq
dE4 =
4  0 r 2

1 dq cos 
dE 4 =
40 r2

1
dE4 = (2r 2
pcos  .sin  .d )cos 
40r 2
P
dE4 = cos .sin .d
2

20
 

4
E4 =  dE 4
0
due to the charges on the 
surface of the entire P
cavity is =  2 0
c o s 2  . s in  .d 
0

P
=
2 0  c o s 2  . s in  .d 
0

let..x = c o s  → d x = − s i n d
−1
P
=
2 0
 x 2 .d x
1

− P x 3 −1  − P − 1 − 1
= ( )1 ( )
2 0 3 2 0 3
P
E4 =
3 0
Classius – Mosotti relation:
Consider a dielectric material having cubic structure, and
assume ionic Polarizability & Orientational polarizability are
zero..

i = 0 = 0
polarization..P = N
P = N e Ei ......where.,  =  e Ei
P
where., E i = E +
3 0
P = N  e Ei
P
P = N e (E + )
3 0
P
P = N e E + N e
3 0
P
P − N e = N e E
3 0
N e
P(1 − ) = N e E
3 0
N e E
P= ...................(1)
Ne
(1− )
3 0
We known that the polarizati on vector
P =  0 E ( r −1)............(2)
from eq n s(1) & (2)
N e E
=  0 E( r −1)
Ne
(1− )
3 0
Ne N e E
1− =
3 0  0 E( r −1)
N e N e E
1= +
3 0  0 E ( r −1)
N e Ne
1= +
3 0  0 ( r −1)
N e 3
1= (1 + )
3 0  r −1
Ne 1
=
3 0 (1 +
3
)
 r −1
Ne  −1 ...... → Classius Mosotti relation
= r
3 0 r + 2