E field profile in a capacitor with two different dielectric material

In summary, the speaker discusses a scenario where a plate capacitor has two different dielectric layers and a fixed voltage is applied. They initially thought that the electric field would be constant despite the different dielectric constants, but upon considering energy, they realized that the higher dielectric constant material would have a smaller voltage drop across it. The speaker then mentions that this can be understood by imagining two capacitors with the same plate areas and different dielectric materials in series, and calculating the voltage across each. They conclude that the voltage will drop faster in the smaller dielectric material.
  • #1
enroger0
21
0
Hi everyone, this is not a homework, I'm actually dealing with the case in real life here. If this turns out to be standard textbook stuff then I'm sorry as I haven't studied this before.

Suppose a plate capacitor has two different dielectric material layer sandwiched in it. Then a fixed voltage is applied on it.

The simplest consideration would be that E field is constant everywhere despite the different dielectric constant of the two layers, this was my first thought. But it didn't feel right as I consider the energy, since system tends to minimize energy against fixed boundary condition.

So with the same E-field strength, the material will store more energy with a higher dielectric constant. Minimizing the energy will yield that the higher dielectric constant material will have a smaller voltage drop across it, is this result right?
 
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  • #2
The easiest way to think about this is to imagine two real capacitors with same plate areas, connected in series, one with the one dielectric and its thickness, and the second dielectric and its thickness. Now apply voltage to the two caps in series, and calculate the voltage across each cap.
 
  • #3
Ha! Dumb me... Then it is true that voltage drop faster in smaller dielectric material. Thanks
 

Related to E field profile in a capacitor with two different dielectric material

1. What is an E field profile in a capacitor?

An E field profile in a capacitor refers to the distribution of the electric field within the capacitor. This field is responsible for storing energy in the form of electric potential energy.

2. How does the presence of two different dielectric materials affect the E field profile?

The presence of two different dielectric materials in a capacitor can alter the E field profile by changing the permittivity, or ability to store electric charge, in different regions of the capacitor. This can result in a non-uniform electric field distribution.

3. What is the significance of the E field profile in a capacitor?

The E field profile in a capacitor is important because it determines the capacitance of the capacitor, which is a measure of its ability to store electric charge. It also affects the overall performance and efficiency of the capacitor.

4. How does the distance between the two dielectric materials affect the E field profile?

The distance between the two dielectric materials in a capacitor can affect the E field profile by altering the electric flux, or flow of electric field lines, between the two materials. A larger distance can result in a weaker electric field and vice versa.

5. Can the E field profile in a capacitor be manipulated by changing the dielectric materials?

Yes, the E field profile in a capacitor can be manipulated by changing the dielectric materials. Different materials have different permittivity values, which can affect the electric field distribution and thus the capacitance of the capacitor.

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