  A general formalism for the calculation of the differential cross section and
polarization observables, for the process of deuteron electrodisintegration, is
developed in the framework of relativistic impulse approximation. A detailed
analysis of the general structure of the differential cross section and
polarization observables for the $e^-+d\to e^-+n+p$ reaction is derived, using
the formalism of the structure functions. The obtained expressions have a
general nature and they hold in the one--photon--exchange mechanism, assuming
P--invariance of the hadron electromagnetic interaction. The model of
relativistic impulse approximation is introduced and the final state
interaction is taken into account by means of the unitarization of the helicity
amplitudes. A detailed description of the unitarization procedure is also
presented.
  Using different parametrizations of the deuteron wave functions, the
following polarization observables are calculated in the kinematical region of
quasi--elastic deuteron electrodisintegration: the asymmetry for the scattering
of longitudinally polarized electrons on a polarized deuteron target, the
proton and neutron polarizations (for longitudinally polarized electron beam or
vector--polarized deuteron target). The sensitivity to the neutron electric
form factor is also thorougly investigated.
  The predictions of the model are compared with the results of recent
polarization measurements and a good agreement with the existing experimental
data has been obtained.
