Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics

Molecular field in a dielectric: Lorentz Local field

The electric field which is responsible for polarising a molecule of a dielectric is called the
molecular field or the polarizing filed. If the dielectric is a gas, then the polarising field is simply
the external applied electric field, which is known as the macroscopic electric field. In the case of
solid or liquid dielectrics, the actual field acting on a molecule of the dielectric is different from
the external field. It includes not only the external field but also the field produced by all
polarized molecular dipoles in the dielectric excluding the molecule under consideration
(because it will not be polarized by its own field). This field is known as the local electric field
acting on a molecule and is responsible for the polarization of this particular molecule. Lorentz
derived a relation for a non-polar isotropic dielectric. This relation is known as Lorentz’s relation
for the Molecular field or simple Lorentz Local field.
Derivation of Lorentz Local field
Let us consider a uniform electric polarization of a dielectric between the plates of a capacitor as
shown in Figure given below . Draw a sphere of radius ‘a’ around a particular molecule inside
the dielectric such that it is big enough to contain a large number of molecules but small as
compared to distance d between the capacitor plates (i.e., a << d). Thus, the dielectric outside
this sphere can be treated as a continuum, while the molecules inside the sphere can be treated as
individual dipoles. The molecule under consideration (i.e., molecules at the center of the sphere)
is influenced by the following fields:

(i) E0 due to free charges of the capacitor plates.

(ii) E1 due to bound charges of dielectric surfaces facing the capacitor plates.

(iii) E 2 due to bound charges of the polarized molecules on the surface of the sphere.

(iv) E3 due to the polarized molecules inside the sphere. In many practical cases, it can be
ignored due to extremely small contribution.

1 Groups: T2 and T4 (Mentor: Dr. Neeraj Mehta)

Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics


P
a 
E
O

Thus, the effective field on a dielectric molecule is given by

   
Em  E0  E1  E2 --- (1)

The field produced by the surfaces charges on the capacitor plates is

f
E0  --- (2)
0
Where  f be surface charge density of free charges presented on the capacitor plates. In vector
form, Eq. (2) becomes

 D
E0  --- (3)
0
The field produced by the surfaces charges of dielectric surfaces facing the capacitor plates is

E1  b --- (4)
0
Where  b be surface charge density of bound charges of the dielectric. In scalar form, Eq. (4)
becomes

 P
E1   --- (5)
0

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Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics


P cos

dS θ 
P
dθ
a 
θ E
O

Let us now evaluate the E2, the field at O due to the bound charges on the surface of the sphere.

Let dS is the surface element on the sphere with polar coordinates (a, θ) as shown in the above

figure . The component of electric polarization P normal to dS is P cos θ. The induced charge

density over dS is, therefore, dσ = P.cos θ.dS and the field at O due to this charge is
1 d 1 P . cos .dS
dE2   . The field will be represented by a vector directed from O to
4 0 a 2
4 0 a2
 
dS . The the component of this field in the direction of E is

 1 P . cos .dS  1 P . cos 2  .dS

dE2 . cos  
 . cos  4
 .
 40 a2  0 a2

Now suppose that the geometry of the surface element dS is the ring-shaped element of radius
a sinθ and width (a.dθ), on the surface of the sphere. The area of this element is
dS = 2π(a sinθ) (a.dθ) = 2π a2 sinθ. dθ
1P . cos 2  .(2a 2 sin  .d ) P
 dE2 . cos   . cos 2  .sin  .d
4 0 a 2
2 0
By symmetry, the contribution to this field comes only from the components of the field from

each surface element parallel to P , i.e.,
 /2  /2
P
or E2  2  dE2 . cos  2  . cos 2  .sin  .d
0 0
2 0

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Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics


P
 0 0
or E2  cos 2  sin  d
 /2
P  cos3  
E2   
3  0
or
0 
P
or E2  --- (6)
3 0
In vector form, Eq. (6) takes the form

 P
E2  --- (7)
3 0
Using Eqs. (3), (5) and (7) in Eq. (1), we get
  
 D P P
Em   
 0  0 3 0
 
 D P 1 
or Em     1
0 0  3 
  
 ( 0 E  P) 2 P   
or Em   [ D   0 E  P]
0 3 0
 
  P 2 P
or Em  E  
0 3 0

  P  2
or E m  E  1  
0  3 

  P
or Em  E 
3 0
This equation is known as Lorentz equation for a non-polar isotropic dielectric.

Clausius-Mossotti relation
According to Lorentz equation, the electric field experienced by a molecule of a non-polar
isotropic dielectric can be expressed as

  P
Em  E  --- (1)
3 0

Suppose that p m is the induced dipole moment of the molecule under consideration due to this
field, then we have
 
p m   Em --- (2)
Where α is the polarizability of the molecule.
Using Eq. (1) in Eq. (2), we obtain

  P 
pm    E  
 --- (3)
 3 0 

Let ‘n’ be the number of molecules per unit volume in the dielectric material, then by definition,
the polarization vector is expressed as

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Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics

 
P  n pm --- (4)
Using Eq. (3) in Eq. (4), we obtain

  P 
P  n  E  

 3 0 
  n 
or P  n E  P
3 0
 n  
or P P  n E
3 0
 n  
or P 1    n E --- (5)
 3 0 
 
The expression for the polarization vector P in terms of electric field strength E is given by
 
P   0 ( K  1) E --- (6)
Using Eq. (6) in Eq. (5), we obtain
  n  
[ 0 ( K  1) E ] 1    n E
 3 0 
 n 
or [ 0 ( K  1)] 1    n
 3 0 
 n   n 
or ( K  1)1     
 3 0  
 0 
 n   n 
or ( K  1)  ( K  1)    
 3 0    0 
 n   n   ( K  1)   n 
or ( K  1)  ( K  1)     or ( K  1)    1  

 0  0 
3   3  
 0 
 ( K  1  3)   n   ( K  2)   n 
or ( K  1)      or ( K  1)     
 3   0   3   0 
( K  1) n
Hence  --- (A)
( K  2) 3 0
This equation is known as the Clausius-Mossotti relation.
If M is the molecular weight of the dielectric material, ρ is its density and NA is Avogadro’s
number, then we have
N 
n A
3 0
Hence another form of the Clausius-Mossotti relation is
M ( K  1) N A 
 --- (B)
 ( K  2) 3 0

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Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics

Physical significance
Clausius-Mossotti relation relates the microscopic property polarizability α to the
macroscopic property dielectric constant K. It is applicable to gases and non-polar liquids. The
expression (B) indicates that the L.H.S. is constant if the model under consideration for the
polarization is valid. The experimental verification of this prediction of Clausius-Mossotti
relation has been observed successfully for various gases over a quite large range of density.
Consequences of Clausius-Mossotti relation
(i) According to electromagnetic theory, the refractive index μ of a transparent dielectric material
can be expressed as the square root of the dielectric constant K, i.e.,
 K
or 2  K
Then Clausius-Mossotti relation given by expression (B) takes the form
M (  2  1) N A 
  Constant
 (  2  2) 3 0
This result represents the dependence of the refractive index μ on the density of the medium. It is
interesting to note that this law holds good for many substances.
(ii) For most of the gases and liquids, the polarizability is very small, therefore (n / 3 0 ) is lesser
than 1. Thus, Clausius-Mossotti relation is valid for such gases and liquids. However, in case of
few crystalline solids, (n / 3 0 )  1. In this situation, K  . Such dielectrics are known as

ferroelectrics and they exhibit the property the of spontaneous polarization analogous to
ferromagnetic materials.
(iii) For mono-atomic gases, the polarizability α is expressed as
  4  0 R3
Where R is the radius of the atom.
Using the value of α in Clausius-Mossotti relation, we have
( K  1) 4   0 R 3 n

( K  2) 3 0
3 ( K  1)
or R3 
4  n ( K  2)

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Course: BPT-401 Topic: Dielectrics

( K  1)
or R3  [ K  1]
4 n
Thus, knowing the value of K and calculating the value of n at a constant temperature and
pressure, the value of radius of a molecule can be determined.
Experimental verification of Clausius-Mossotti relation
The Clausius-Mossotti relation has been verified experimentally for various gases like hydrogen
1 ( K  1)
etc. Since α is a constant for a particular gas, therefore . must be a constant. The value
n ( K  2)
of “n” was varied by changing the pressure of hydrogen gas, and the dielectric constant K was
1 ( K  1)
measured at various pressures. It was found that the value of . was independent of the
n ( K  2)
pressure. This verifies experimentally the Clausius-Mossotti relation.

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