9 Dielectrics and Ferroelectrics Despite the fact that the concept of the dielectric constant is often taught in introductory

physics because, e.g., of its applications to capacitors the concept involves subtle physics. The purpose of this chapter is to review the important dielectric properties of solids without glossing over the intrinsic difficulties. Dielectric properties are important for insulators and semiconductors. When a dielectric insulator is placed in an external field, the field (if weak) induces a polarization that varies linearly with the field. The constant of proportionality determines the dielectric constant. Both static