Electric polarization in crystals and its response to thermal and elastic perturbations

The basic properties of electric polarization response in crystalline dielectrics are theoretically analysed. Spontaneous polarization, pyroelectricity, piezoelectricity, flexoelectricity (polarization response to strain gradient) and thermopolarization effect (polarization response to temperature gradient) are discussed on the basis of a unified approach. Special attention is paid to the problem of the adequate theoretical definition of these phenomena. The effect of the sample termination on the polarization response is considered in detail.