Figure 2
![Figure 2](http://media.springernature.com/full/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1186%2Fs40759-014-0001-y/MediaObjects/40759_2014_1_Fig2_HTML.gif)
Representative volume elements for the design of a dielectric heterogeneous material with two phases: (a) plate of infinite extent in the vertical direction, vector electric field applied across boundaries in the horizontal direction to uniform interior material; (b) same as case (a) except that a second phase material is added in the interior (shaded region); (c) 2-D domain with prescribed boundary conditions on the top and bottom (e.g., symmetrical/repeating, insulating, etc.) and a uniform applied field in the horizontal direction.