An extrinsic property is not essential or inherent to the subject that is being characterized.
Intrinsic properties are dependent mainly on the fundamental chemical composition and structure of the material.
[1] Extrinsic properties are differentiated as being dependent on the presence of avoidable chemical contaminants or structural defects.
[3] Such defects may arise as a consequence of design imperfections, manufacturing errors, or operational extremes and can produce distinctive and often undesirable extrinsic properties.
The identification, optimization, and control of both intrinsic and extrinsic properties are among the engineering tasks necessary to achieve the high performance and reliability of modern electrical and optical systems.