DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY

SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

18PYB101J-Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Waves

and Optics

Module I Lecture-14

Relationship Between Polarizability, Permittivity and Dielectric

constant, Polar and Non Polar Dielectrics
 Dielectric Materials
Ø Dielectric materials are also called as insulators.

Ø In dielectric materials, all the electrons are tightly bound to their

parent molecules and there are no free charges. In addition, the
forbidden energy band gap (e.g.) for dielectric materials is more than
3eV.

Ø Not possible for the electrons in the valence band to excite to the
conduction band, by crossing the energy gap, even with normal voltage
or thermal energy.
 Active and Passive Dielectrics
Ø The dielectric materials can be classified into active and passive
dielectric materials.
Øi. Active dielectrics
When a dielectric material is kept in an external electric field, if it
actively accepts the electricity, then it is known as active dielectric
material. Thus, active dielectrics are the dielectrics, which can easily adapt
themselves to store the electrical energy in it.
Eg: Piezoelectric and ferroelectric

Ø ii. Passive dielectrics

Passive dielectrics are the dielectrics, which restrict the flow of
electrical energy in them. So, these dielectrics act as insulators.
Examples: All insulating materials such as glass, mica, rubber etc.,
i. Non-Polar Dielectrics
ØThere is no permanent dipole existence in the absence of electric filed

ØEg: H2, N2, O2, CO2

ii. Polar dielectrics

ØThere is existence of permanent dipole in the absence of electric
filed

Ø Examples:H2O, HCI, CO
 Basic Definitions in Dielectrics
Electric Field
Ø The region around the charge within which its effect is felt or
experienced is known as electric field.
ØThe electric field is assumed to consist of imaginary electric lines of force.
These lines of force originate from the positive charges and terminate to
the negative charges .

Electric field strength or electric field intensity (E)

Electric field strength at any point is defined as the force experienced
by an unit positive charge placed at the point. It is denoted by ‘E’.
‘q’ - magnitude of the charge in coulombs
‘f’ - force experienced by that charge in Newton,
electric field strength (E)

Its unit is Newton / Coulomb (or) volt / meter.

 Electric flux
It is defined as the total number of electric lines of force passing through a
given area in the electric field. (Emanated from the positive charge). Unit: Coulomb

Electric flux density or electric displacement vector (D =Ø/A)

It is defined as the number of electric lines of force passing normally
through an unit area of cross section in the field.

Its unit is Coulomb / m2

 Dielectric Constant
The dielectric constant or relative permittivity of a material
determines its dielectric characteristics. It is the ratio of the
permittivity of the medium and the permittivity of free space

r = /0
ØElectric Polarization
(The process of creating or inducing diploes in DEM)

Ø Consider an atom. We know that it is electrically neutral. Furthermore, the

centre of the negative charge of the electrons coincides with the positive nuclear
charge, which means that the atom has no net dipole moment.

Ø However, when this atom is placed in an external electric field, the centre of
the positive charge is displaced along the field direction while the centre of the
negative charge is displaced in the opposite direction.

Ø When a dielectric material is placed inside an electric field, such dipoles are
created in all the atoms inside.
 Polarizability ()
When the electric field strength ‘E’ is increased, the strength of the induced
dipole is also increased. Thus, the induced dipole moment is proportional to the
intensity of the electric field.
μE
μ = E

Polarization vector

The dipole moment per unit volume of the dielectric material is called
polarization vector.
P = Nμ Unit: Coulomb / m2
‘ ’ - average dipole moment per molecule and
‘N’ - number of molecules per unit volume
 Relation between P, 0 ,  r and E
The polarization ‘P’ is related to the electric flux density D as,
D =  0E + P
Since D = 0r E, the above relation becomes,

0 r E =  0E + P
(or) P = 0r E 0E
i.e. P = 0 ( r  1 )E
 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

21PYB101J-Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Waves

and Optics

Module I Lecture-15

Types of Polarization mechanisms, Frequency and Temperature

Dependence of the polarization
 Various Polarization mechanisms in Dielectrics
Dielectric polarization is the displacement of charged particles under
the action of the external electric field. Several microscopic mechanisms are
responsible for electric polarization.

ØFour types of microscopic polarization mechanisms.

ØElectronic polarization
ØIonic polarization
ØOrientation polarization and
ØSpace-charge polarization.
 Nucleus Displaced
Nucleus
Equilibrium
position

x
Sphere of electronic +Ze Ze Field direction
charge Original Position

Fig. (a) Position of +ve and –ve charges in an atom without field (b)
Position of +ve and –ve charges in an atom with field
ØExplanation:
Ø In the case of a CH3Cl molecule, the positive and negative charges do
not coincide. The Cl- has more electro negativity than hydrogen. Therefore, the
chlorine atoms pull the bonded electrons towards them more strongly than
hydrogen atoms. Therefore, even in the absence of field, there exists a net
dipole moment.
Ø Now, when the field is applied, positive portion align along the
direction of field and negative portion align in the opposite direction of the field.
This kind of polarization is called as orientation polarization.
Ø This depends on temperature; when temperature is increased, the
thermal energy tends to randomize the alignment
 DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

21PYB101J-Electromagnetic Theory, Quantum Mechanics, Waves

and Optics

Module I Lecture-16

Solving Problems
1. Calculate the polarisability and relative permittivity in hydrogen gas with a density
of 9.8×1026 atoms/m3. Given the radius of the hydrogen atom to be 0.50 × 10-10 m.
Solution:
Given: N = 9.8×1026 atoms/m3 R = 0.50 × 10-10 m ; αe = ?; εr = ?
We Know
αe = 4лε0R3
αe = 1.389×10-41 Fm2
To find εr we know that,

αe = ε0×(εr -1)/N

{(N αe )/ ε0}+1 = εr

1.0015 = εr
2. If a NaCl crystal is subjected to an elecrtical filed of 1000 V/m and the resulting
polarization is 4.3 × 10-8 C/m2 , calculate the relative permittivity of NaCl.

Solution:

Given: E = 1000 V/m, P = 4.3 × 10-8 C/m2; ε0 = 8.854 × 10-12 F/m

We Know that

P = ε0 (εr -1)E

εr = 1+ (P/ ε0 E)

5.86 = εr
3. Calculate the electronic polarisabilty of argon atom given εr = 1.0024 at NTP and N=
2.7×1025 atoms/m3
Solution:

Given: εr = 1.0024; N= 2.7×1025 atoms/m3 ; ε0 = 8.854 × 10-12 F/m

We Know that

P = ε0 (εr -1)E

Also, P = NαeE

αe = {ε0 (εr -1)}/N

Subtituting the given values, we have

αe = 7.9×10-40 Fm2
4. The dielectric constant of He gas at NTP is 1.0000684. Calculate the electronic
polarisability of He atoms if the gas contains 2.7×1025 atoms per m3

Solution:

Given: εr = 1.0000684; N= 2.7×1025 atoms/m3 ; ε0 = 8.854 × 10-12 F/m

We Know that

αe = {ε0 (εr -1)}/N

Substituting the given values, we have

αe = 2.242×10-41Fm2