Physics 408b

Hagen-Rubens relation

The complex refractive index for an electromagnetic wave of frequency ω in a conductor is


n  n0 1  i .


Here n0  , σ is the conductivity of the conductor and ε is its dielectric constant.
 0 0
The reflection coefficient for normal incidence from medium of refractive index ni onto the
conductor is
2
n  n
R i .
ni  n
If the medium i is vacuum or air, ni is unity, and
2
1  n
R .
1  n
For the case of low frequencies/high conductivities,

n  n0 i and n  1.

Then, given that (y-1)/(y+1)1-2/y,
2
2  2  2 1 1  1   1 1  1 2
R  1  1  1  *   1  2   *   1  2     1 2 .
n  n  n   n n  n0   i i [this is  2] n0 
For non-magnetic materials, we can substitute n0    0 and simplify the above to
2 0
R  1 2 .


If the thickness of the conductor is much greater than the skin depth, all the energy that is not
reflected is absorbed in the material, so the absorption coefficient is

2 0
A  1 R  2 .

This is known as the Hagen-Rubens relation.
It can be used for metals up to the infrared range, employing the dc value of the conductivity σ.

2 c
Using the wavelength of the radiation incident from the air,   , and the expression for the

2 0
skin depth,   c , the above can also be written as


A  4 .


For example, for 3-cm waves incident on a copper surface (=7×10-4 cm), we find a very small
amount of absorption, A=3×10-3, and therefore a very large reflectivity: R=0.997; this represents
an excellent mirror.