Dielectric materials have a very wide application range in a different kind of sensors and detectors, data storage devices, electro-optic devices, transducers, energy harvesters, etc. This is due to their physical, electrical, and structural properties which give rise to diverse physical phenomena, such as ferroelectric, piezoelectric, pyroelectric effects, etc. In the studies of dielectric materials, of particular interest are issues such as the physics of charged dielectric materials, conduction mechanisms, dielectric polarization and dielectric relaxation mechanisms, space charge, nonlinear effects, and electric aging. Recent advances in deposition and processing of dielectric layers allow for superior control and tailoring of their properties to meet the requirements of a certain application. On the other hand, precise characterization techniques make possible the elucidation of the mechanisms that control these properties on a micro- and nanoscale in close relation to the technology of dielectric layer. In this Special Issue, recent progress in dielectric layers, their technology, and advanced characterization are addressed. Emerging applications specific to dielectric material are also of particular interest.
Keywords: Dielectric materials; Dielectric properties; Dielectric phenomena; Technology of dielectric layers; Application of dielectric layers.