Dielectrics and Related fr.

opertites

595

AsNJI; =P.
(11.43)

y is called the internal field constant.

Now

p =Na.EL

p =E (,-l)
0

Na.EL

EEO

EEO

(E -1) = - = - '

(ll.43a)

Evaluation of the Local Field for Cubic Structure

To evaluate the local field we must calculate the total field acting on a certain typical dipole, this field being
due to the external field as well as the other dipoles in the system. This was done by Lorentz as follows.
The dipole is imagined to be surrounded by a spherical cavity of radius r and centre A, such that the
radius r is large compared with the intermolecular distance so that the sphere contains many molecules but
small compared with the dimensions of the whole dielectric. If this dielectric is placed between two charged
plates, the electric field experienced by a molecule of the dielectric, if assumed to be placed at the centre of
the cavity, is give~ by

where
1.
ii.

E 1 is the field intensity due to charge density on the plates of the capacitor (i.e. with no dielectric).
E 2 is the field at the atom due to the polarized charges (induced charge) on the plane surfaces of the
dielectric (i.e. depolarizing field)
E 4 is the field due to polarized charges on the surface of the spherical cavity.
~is the field due to all the dipoles inside the spherical cavity .

m.
1v.

.
Now
+ + + +

II

+I+

+.

~x~:

+ + + +

Fig. 11.13

+ +

Calculation of local field

--

(11.44)

E 2 =- D =- p [takingE=OinEq.(ll.44)]
0

E,

E 3 is the field intensity at A due to other atoms contained

in the cavity. We are assuming a cubic structure, so E 3 =
0 because of symmetry.
E 4 is the field intensity due to polarization charges
on the surface of the cavity and was calculated by
Lorentz as given below:

..,.
\

596

""

(.

~-----,

Solid State Physics

,"A

~-:.. h-

Computation of E4

The enlarged view of the cavity is shown in Figure 11.14. If dA is the' surface area of the sphere of radius r
lying between e aild e + d8, where e is the direction with the reference to the direction of the applied field,
then

ciA = 21t (PQ)(QR)

But

sinS= PQ/r, PQ = rsin8

and

d8 = QR/r, QR = rd8

Hence

dA

=21tr sin 8

rd8 = 21tr 2 sin 8 d8

The charge dq on the surface dA is equal to the normal

comp()nent of the polarization multiplied by)l:l~. ~iir
face area.. Therefore,

dq = P cos8 dA = P (21tr 2 sin9cos8 d9)

The field due to this charge at A denoted by dE4 in the
direction e = 0 is

Fig. 11.14 Cavity enlarged

dE = dq x 1 xcos9
47t,r2

p cos e 21tr sin 9 d9 cos 9

=-----------------41t
r
2

=!

cos 2 sin9 d9

Thus the total field E 4 due to the charges on the surface of the entire cavity is obtained by integrating

JdE4 =~ J

cos2 8sin9d9

p J" cos8d
,
= 2
(-cos9)
n 0

...\ .

n';'<_.\

i.e.

;.,.--- '{.. p

60

30

= - - [-1-l] = -

p
E =E+L

3Eo

(11.44a)

Equation (11.44a) shows that the internal field at an atom in a cubic structure is of the form of Eq.
(11.43) withy= (1/3). EL is called Lorentz field. It has been assumed in this derivation that the region out-

..

Dielectrics and Related Propertites

591

side the sphere is continuous whose dielectric constant is l.,. It should be noted that the field intensity at the
atom. i.e. the Lorentz field is larger than the applied field by an amount that is directly proportional to the
polarization density.

V. CLAUSIUS- MOSOTTI RELAnON

It is now possible to relate the dielectric constant of an insulator to lhe polarizability of atoms comprising it.
The dipole moment of a single atom is proportional to the local field. i.e. dipole moment = 11. where a is
the polarizability of the atom. If there are N atoms per unit volume, lhe electric moment per unit volume
which is called polarizatio11 is given by
From Equations ( ll.43a) and ( 11.26)

(I 1.45)

From Equation ( 11.44a)

or

Na]

NaEL
[ 1-E=E ---=E
L
3"
L
3,

EL

E =[1 -

(Na/3.,)]

Substituting ELIE in Equation (11.45)

,:

[
NDJ
, 1-l,

( 11.46)

598

Solid SI/Jie Physics

1+_32(Nu)
~
~

-:il ~J

1+(213)~

- ~.
___._.

-1

..

+2

,. -1] = 1-(113)~
[
,. + 2
I +(2/3)~
'

1-(1/l)~

NaJ,. Na
=-3-=3,

[~:~]=~:

i.e

(11.47)

This is Clausius-Mosotti relation which relates the macroscopic dielectric constant with the_ microscopic
larizabilities.
- -
. .
~---- -.
Multiplying both sides of Equation ( 11.47) by the molar volume, one gets
[ ,.-l]M"
,.+2 p

=[Na]M"
w~re M,. is the molecular weight
3., p
NM,.

--=NA
p

But

[ ,-l]M"= NAa =P
,.+2 p
3.,
"'

Hence

called molar polarization. In the presence of orientational polarization; the Clausius-Mosotti equation can
be written as

,-l]M" N,.
[ ,.+2
p
30

P = - - --=-(a +a.+a)
Ill

,.-l]MA N,_
[- -=-(a+a)
,.+2 p
3,
"

(11.48)

-r.
I

This equation is called Debye 's eqlllllion and it forms

the basis for the methOdS-of determining permanent
dipole moments. Dielectric constants are measured at
different temperatures and a graph is drawn between
,.-l]M,.
1
[---and,.+2 p
T

..

w""
~

1
0

Fig. 11.15

--r1
Temperature versus dielectric constant

Dielectrics and Related Propertites

599

It is found to be straight line.

Equation (11.48) can be written as

i.e.

where the slope

or

(11.48a)
Thus Jlm can be found out using the above Equation ( 11.48). In any case if the pennanent dipole moment is
zero, the dielectric constant, like the polarization is independent of temperature. In such case the straight line
is parallel to the x-axis. The accuracy of measurement of the dipole moment by means of the above method
is detennined by the precision with which the slope is detennined. To obtain accurate result it is necessary to
carry out the measurements in sufficiently wide temperature ranges.

Relation between Dielectric Constant and the Refractive

Index (Lorentz - Lorenz formula)
The idea that there exists a definite relation between dielectric constant and refractive index comes from the
propagation of electromagnetic waves through a medium. The electromagnetic waves as developed by
Maxwell by the idea that electromagnetic induction consists of varying electric and magnetic fields with
time. The electric and magnetic vectors in such waves are perpendicular to each other and also perpendicular
to the direction of propagation. Maxwell has shown that the velocity of propagation of such waves for an
unbounded medium is given by
1

v=

ii

where Jl is the magnetic permeability of the medium and is the absolute pennittivity. The penneability for
1

nonmagnetic media is Jlo Hence the velocity in such a medium is _r:;-:- The refractive index of the medium
Vlln

is given by