DIELECTRIC MATERIALS

Basic Questions
What is a dielectric? Can dielectrics be affected by electric field? If the dielectrics are indeed insulators and do not conduct electricity, then, Why there is an electrical effect ?

Dielectrics
Conductors have unlimited supply of electrons which are not associated with any particular nucleus but roam around at will. In dielectrics, by contrast, all charges are attached to specific atom/molecule and all they can do is move a little bit within the molecule. The cumulative effects of such microscopic displacement account for the characteristic behavior of dielectric materials. These materials can sustain an electric field but do not conduct electric current. There are two principle mechanism by which electric field can distort the charge distribution of a dielectric atom or molecule: 1. Stretching 2. Rotating

Induced Dipoles
On applying electric field on neutral nonpolar atom, positive and negative charge centers are shifted with respect to each other.

The two opposing forces 1. E- pulling the electrons and nucleus apart 2. Their mutual attraction reach a balance, leaving the atom polarized with a dipole moment

Induced Dipole Moment

This induced dipole moment is approximately proportional to the applied electric field ( It should not be too strong).

This constant of proportionality () is known as atomic polarisability. Its value depends on the structure of the atom. This is the charge distribution by stretching in nonpolar molecules of dielectrics (Net dipole moment is zero in the absence of Electric field, ) on applying electric field. Now question arises, What will happen to polar molecules of dielectrics.

Alignment of Polar molecules

Polar dielectrics: Materials having permanent dipole moments. Net dipole moment is non- zero. Many natural molecules are examples of systems with a finite electric dipole moment (permanent dipole moment), since in most types of molecules the centers of gravity of the positive and negative charge distributions do not coincide. Ex. Water

Dipole moment of water molecule.

Torque on a dipole exerted by electric field

Polarization
(Dipole moment per unit volume )

Problem 1

Problem 2

Dielectric Constant and Polarizability

A dielectric material is characterized by a parameter called dielectric constant k or relative permitivity r . This is macroscopic quantity that

measures how effective an electric field is in polarizing the material. This constant is found to be independent of the shape or the dimensions of the capacitor and is solely a characterstic of the particular dielectric medium used.

Dielectric Constant and Polarizability

Induced charges on the surface of the dielectric reduce the electric field.

C = r or k Co

k = r = n

where = o r = o k

r relative permittivi of the medium, ty

k dielectricconstantof the medium, o permittivi of freespace/vacc ty um n refractive index of medium

o = 8.854 x 10-12 C 2 N 1m2

Problem 1

Problem 2

d)

Dielectric Constant and Polarizability

Let us consider a dielectric medium applied upon by an electric field

Thus the electric displacement vector is given as

r r (1) Where E is the field in dielectric medium and P is polarization. r Since D depends only on the external sources producing the
external field and is completely unaffected by the polarization of the medium, i.e. in free space, where there is no dielectric and r r r thus P = 0 we have D = E (2) 0 0 r r r From (1) and (2) 0 E 0 = 0 E + P r r r P E = E0

r r r D = 0E + P

This equation shows that the effect of the polarization is to modify the field inside the medium (2) can also be written as r r r D = 0 ( r E ) = E where = 0 r

Dielectric Constant and Polarizability

r r P = 0E

r = 1+

Problem 1

Problem 2

Dielectric Constant and Polarizability

Dielectric Constant and Polarizability

r = 1+

Problem 1