Equation of internal fields (local fields) in liquids and solids

The internal field or the local field may be defined as the electric field which acts at the location
of a given atom subjected to an external electric field and is the resultant of the applied field and
the field due to all surrounding dipoles.
We know that in case of solids and liquids, the atoms are very close to each other and interact
considerably. When an electric field is applied, the atoms are polarized. Each of the atoms develops a
dipole moment i.e., each atom acts as electric dipole. Therefore, the resultant local field
i
E (called as
internal field) at the location of any atom be the sum of fields E' created by the neighboring polarized
atoms and the external field E. So E E E
i
' + =
It is important to mention here that the atoms of the gases are in constant random motion and are
separated at large distances. So the interaction between atoms can be neglected. When electric field is
applied, the electric field seen by each atom is equal to the applied field only.
Expression for the Internal field
Let us consider a one-dimensional solid
dielectric consisting of a string of equidistant
atoms as shown in Fig. Each atom has
polarizability
e
. Let us consider that an
electric field E is applied in the direction
parallel to the string.

The aim is to determine the net internal field
E
i
experienced by one of the atoms (say A).
From symmetry consideration, E
i
will be parallel to E.
The dipole moment induced in each atom,
i
=
e
E where
e
is the polarizability of each atom.
The electric field at A due to the dipole induced in an atom located at a distance na from it is

3
0
2 2
0
2 2
2
0
2 2
2 2
0
2 2
0
2 2
0
) ( 4
2
) ( ,
) ( ) (
2
4
) ( ) (
2
4 ) ( ) (
) ( ) (
4
) (
1
) (
1
4 ) ( ) ( 4
1
na
ed Z
d na As
na na
nad e Z
d na na
d nad e Z
d na na
na d na e Z
d na na
e Z
d na
e Z
na
e Z
E
n
tc
tc
tc tc
tc tc
~
>>
(

~
(

+
+
=
(

+
+
=
(

+
=
(

+
=


3
0
) ( 2 na
E
i
n
tc

= where
i
= Z e d
The total field E
i
at A due to all atoms,
(

+ =

=1
3 3
0
1
2
2
n
i
i
n a
E E
tc

Here a factor 2 in the parenthesis is introduced to take into account all the atoms to the left as
well as to the right of atom A.
) 1 ( ] 2 . 1
1
[
2 . 1
1
3 3
0
~ + =

= n
i
i
n
As
a
E E
tc


From above equation the local field
i
E exceeds the applied field. Greater the polarizability
e
o
or smaller the inter-atomic spacing a, larger is the internal field.
Lorentz field (local field in 3D):

In three dimensional case, the calculation of the internal field would be very complicated and
would depend upon the crystal structure. By analogy with equation (1) one expects that the
internal field in a crystal would involve similar terms. In a three dimensional case (1/a
3
) may be
replaced by N, the number of atoms per unit volume. (1.2/t) by a constant , which depends
upon the type of the structure.
] [ ,
0 0
P N As
P
E
N
E E
i
i
i
= + = + =
c

c


Here is proportionality constant and is known as internal field coefficient. The value of depends on
the internal arrangement of atoms in dielectric.
In case of crystals possessing cubic symmetry, = 1/3
Local field, ) 2 (
3
0
+ =
c
P
E E
i

The field given by above equation is called Lorentz field.
Clausius Mosottti Equation
We know that the molecules of non-polar dielectrics do not possess permanent dipole moment. However,
when an external electric field is applied, dipole moment is induced. The polarization P
i
is proportional to
local electric field E
i
, i.e.
i e i
P E o = .(3)
where
e
o is the electronic polarizability per atom.
If there are N molecules per unit volume of the dielectric, then polarization P is given by
) 1 (
) 2 ( 3
) 1 ( 3
) 2 (
) 1 ( 3
1 3
3
1
1
1
] ) 1 ( [ ,
3
1
) 1 (
1
3
1 1
)] 2 ( sin [ ,
3 1
) (
0
0
0
0 0 0
0

+
=

+
=

+
= +

=
= +

= + =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
= =
= =

r
r
e
r
r
r
r
r e
r
r e
i
e
i
j
e j i
N
N
P E As
P
E
N
equation g u
P
P
E
P
E
N
E N P P
c
c
o
c
c
c
c
c
c o
c
c c
c c c c o
c
o
o

0
( 1)
( 2) 3
r e
r
N c o
c c

=
+

This is known as Clausius Mosotti Equation.
Preliminary
Number of lines of force received by unit area is called Flux Density or electric displacement, D. Its
unit is Coulomb/m
2

) 2 ........( .......... 1
) 1 (
) 1 .........( ) 1 (
,
,
0 0
0
0 0 0
0
p
E E
p P E
P E E P E E
P E D also E D
e r
e r
r
r
_ c
_ c c c
c c
c c c c c
c c
=
=
=
+ = + =
+ = =