Electric susceptibility (\(\chi_e\)) is a measure of how much a dielectric material becomes polarized when an electric field is applied. It quantifies the extent to which the dielectric material can be polarized by an external electric field, which in turn affects its dielectric properties.
Mathematically, electric susceptibility is defined as the ratio of the polarization \(P\) of the material to the applied electric field \(E\):
\[ \chi_e = \frac{P}{\epsilon_0 E} \]
where:
- \(P\) is the polarization vector of the material,
- \(\epsilon_0\) is the permittivity of free space,
- \(E\) is the applied electric field.
The susceptibility is a dimensionless quantity and is a key parameter in determining the material's relative permittivity \(\epsilon_r\), which is related to the electric susceptibility by:
\[ \epsilon_r = 1 + \chi_e \]
In summary, electric susceptibility describes how a dielectric material responds to an electric field in terms of polarization, and it's crucial for understanding the material's behavior in various electrical and electronic applications.