Nonlinear Dielectric Materials

The following is a brief description of nonlinear dielectrics from the standpoint of the fundamental physics involved. Specific available materials and technical applications are considered only by way of illustration of general properties. It is shown that, although dielectric nonlinearity and ferroelectricity are quite different phenomena, the fact that ferroelectrics have high dielectric constants makes them the most likely materials to exhibit a high degree of nonlinearity at electric field strengths safely below the breakdown values.