Temperature dependence of dielectric constant of crystals with fluorite structure

The experimental data on the temperature variation of dielectric constant of six crystals with fluorite structure are analysed using an approach proposed by Havinga and Bosman for ionic crystals. The temperature variation of dielectric constant is resolved in three components related to the thermal expansion, the pressure dependence of dielectric constant and the temperature variation of polarizability (theA, B, C terms). In the present work, theB term is calculated semiempirically, such that the analysis can be extended to crystals like EuF₂ for which high pressure dielectric constant data are not available. For the first time, such calculations have been made for EuF₂ and PbF₂ at elevated temperatures. TheC term, which is related to the temperature variation ofir polarizability is seen to play a dominant role in determining the temperature variation of dielectric constant.