Electromagnetic Skin Depth of Metals

Ian W. Fraser∗
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia
6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z1
(Dated: April 6, 2012)
In this paper the electromagnetic skin depth and conductivity of aluminum and stainless steel are
determined over a frequency range of 100Hz to 105 Hz. An AC current was applied to a solenoid
creating an alternating magnetic field which was attenuated by the metal cylinder inside the solenoid.
The applied field was compared to the attenuated field to determine the metal’s electromagnetic skin
depth. The conductivity of the aluminum alloy was determined to be σ=(2.059±0.037)·107 [S/m]
while the skin depth at 10kHz was determined to be δ =1.1mm±0.1mm For stainless steel the
conductivity was found to be σ=(9.952±0.099)·105 [S/m] and the skin depth to be δ =1.5mm±0.1mm
at 10kHz.

INTRODUCTION

The skin depth of electromagnetic radiation, often

called penetration depth, is the distance into a metal
radiation falls to 1/e of its initial intensity. However skin
depth can also refer to the depth from the surface of a
conductor at which 1/e, or about 37%, of the current den-
sity is carried. This paper will focus on the penetration
depth of metals.
The skin depth of metals has multiple applications in
the world. In modern medical facilities electromagnetic
radiation is used in many different ways to gain infor-
mation on a patient’s condition. However exposure to
these fields is not good for the longterm health of the
practitioners. To shield people from the different forms
of radiation, knowledge of how different materials attenu-
ate different fields is needed. It is also necessary to create FIG. 1. Cross section of the cylindrical geometry used in this
experiment.[1]
properly shielded electrical power carrying conductors.
The skin depth of current density is also very impor-
tant in the distribution of electrical power through power Using Maxwell’s equations:
lines. Due to the skin effect it is more efficient to con-
duct power through multiple conductors of lesser diame-
~
ter than to use the same amount of material for one large ~ = −µ δ H ,
~ ×E
∇ (1)
diameter conductor. δt
This paper will go into the physics behind the elec-
tromagnetic skin depth of Metals and will determine the ~
conductivity for aluminum and stainless steel and their ∇ ~ = ~j +  δ H ,
~ ×H (2)
δt
skin depth as a function of frequency of the applied mag-
netic field. This was done by comparing the amplitude
and the phase of the applied magnetic field with the at- ∇ ~ = ρ,
~ ·E (3)

tenuated magnetic field inside each of the cylinders.
~ ·H
∇ ~ = 0, (4)
THEORY
the attenuation coefficient α can be determined by the
ratio of the magnetic field inside the cylinder over the
This experiment uses metal cylinders to determine the
field outside the cylinder. Using the complex Bessel func-
differing attenuation coefficients of metals. The geometry
tions J and Y , α can be written as:
of which is shown in Fig. 1.

Hi J0 (υ1 ) + ( B
Am )Y0 (υ1 )
m

∗ α= = (5)
IanFraser88@gmail.com Ho J0 (υ2 ) + ( B
Am Y0 (υ2 )
m
 2

Where v1 and v2 are: alternating current with the LabVIEW set values to the
field coil.
The field coil solenoid consisted of 143 copper wire
v1 = ko R1 (i − 1), v2 = ko R2 (i − 1), (6) turns over a length of 13.200±0.050cm and diameter of
Bm
52.58±0.01mm. The pickup coil had approximately 200
and Am can be written as: turns of #38 F ormex insulated copper wire with a length
of 13.00±0.08mm and diameter 10.55±0.15mm. This
Bm ( k0 R1 )(ı + 1)J0 (υ1 ) + J1 (υ1 ) was then used to measure the the magnetic field created
=− 2 . (7) inside the field coil by placing it in its centre.
Am Y1 (υ1 ) + ( k02R1 )(ı + 1)Y0 (υ1 ) The pickup coil’s signal was then sent through a ×100
Substituting equation 7 into equation 5 gives the com- amplifier and displayed on the Tek 2232 Oscilloscope.
plete expression for the complex attenuation coefficient The computer was connected to the oscilloscope by GPIB
α. and LabVIEW fit the waveform in a black box manner
to determine the amplitude and relative phase. This pro-
cess was repeated with an aluminum and a stainless steel
α= J0 (υ1 )Y1 (υ1 )−J1 (υ1 )Y0 (υ1 )
k R . (8) cylinder attenuating the magnetic field of the field coil
(J0 (υ2 )Y1 (υ1 )−J1 (υ1 )Y0 (υ2 ))+( 02 1 )(ı+1)(J0 (υ2 )Y0 (υ1 )−J0 (υ1 )Y0 (υ2 )
with the pickup coil placed inside the cylinder.
In the high frequency limit corresponding to ko R1 , A diagram of the components and these connections is
ko R2 → ∞; α becomes: shown in Fig. 2.

e(i−1)ko (R2 −R1 )

r
R2
α→2 p (9)
R1 1 + ko R1 + ko2 R12 /2

This can be rewritten in polar terms as α≡ρeiφ , where

ρ and φ are:

e−ko (R2 −R1 )

r
R2
ρ=2 p , (10)
R1 1 + ko R1 + ko2 R12 /2

 
ko R1
φ = ko (R2 − R1 ) + arctan (11) FIG. 2. The computer is connected to both the function gen-
2 + ko R1
erator and oscilloscope by a GPIB connection. The function
Using equations 10 and 12 the data for the amplitude generator supplies an AC current to the field coil, and the
signal from the pickup coil is amplified before being shown on
ratios and phase difference can be fit for σ as a function
the oscilloscope. This waveform is then fit by LabVIEW on
of frequency, and determine skin depth as a function of the computer. [1]
frequency which corresponds to
The relative phase data was then shifted to be the
 1/2 absolute phase of the wave. This was done by adding
1 1
δ= = (12) multiples of π/2 to the data, shifting the original saw
ko π·f ·µ·σ
tooth data into a continuous function.
where f is the frequency of the magnetic field, µ is the
material’s magnetic permeability and σ is the material’s
conductivity. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The data was fit by breaking µ into µr µo and fitting for

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD
This experiment was computer controlled with the use
of the program LabVIEW. In LabVIEW the start fre-
quency, stop frequency and the frequency step interval
as well as the peak to peak voltage were all set for a data
collection run. The computer was connected by GPIB
to the HP 3324A Function Generator which supplied an
the product µr σ. Where µo is the magnetic permeability
of free space and µr is the materials relative magnetic
permeability.
The values for relative magnetic permeability could not
be determined for the exact alloys used in this experiment
so reasonable average values were used.
For aluminum a value of µr =1.000022 [6] was used,
while µr =1.003 [4] was used for stainless steel.
 3

For aluminum, two differing values for ko and σ were Phase Difference of Aluminum
6
found when fitting the amplitude ratio and phase differ- Aluminum Phase Difference Data
Fit of phi(x)
ence data. When fitting ρ for aluminum, shown in Fig. 3,
5
σ was found to be:

Phase Difference [radians]

4

σ = (1.221 ± 0.027) · 107 [S/m] (13)

3
and when fitting for φ, shown in Fig. 4:
2

σ = (2.896 ± 0.025) · 107 [S/m]. (14)

1
These values average to
0
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000

σ = (2.059 ± 0.037) · 107 [S/m]. (15) Frequency [Hz]

Using this value for conductivity, the skin depth of alu- FIG. 4. Fit of φ for the phase difference of the aluminum
minum at 10kHz was determined to be δ=(1.1±0.1)mm cylinder over the range 100Hz-72kHz.
and a plot of skin depth as a function of frequency is
shown in Fig. 7.

Amplitude Ratio for Aluminum

10
Aluminum Amplitude Ratio Data
Log of Amplitude Ratio [arbitrary units]

Fit of roe(x)

0.1

0.01

0.001
100 1000 10000 100000
Log of Frequency [log(Hz)] FIG. 5. Fit of ρ for the amplitude ratio of the stainless steel
cylinder over the range of 3kHz-100kHz.
FIG. 3. Fit of ρ for the amplitude ratio of the aluminum
cylinder over the range 100Hz-72kHz.

CONCLUSION
Two differing values were also found for Stainless Steel
when fitting over the range 3kHz-100kHz. When fitting
for ρ, shown in Fig. 5, σ was found to be: The value of the aluminum sample’s conductivity de-
termined in this experiment, σ=(2.059±0.037)·107 [S/m],
is well within the range of possible aluminum alloy values.
σ = (6.94 ± 0.30) · 105 [S/m] (16) These range between 1.5·107 [S/m] and 3.8·107 [S/m] [3][5]
and when fitting for φ, shown in Fig. 6: depending on the exact alloy. The Skin Depth at 10kHz
was found to be δ=(1.1±0.1)mm which is within 30% of
the literature value for pure aluminum, δ=0.85mm[7].
σ = (1.696 ± 0.028) · 106 [S/m]. (17)
The stainless steel sample’s conductivity was deter-
These values average to be: mined to be σ=(1.195±0.041)·107 [S/m] and is within
10% of the conductivity of 316L stainless steel
σ=1.32·107 [S/m] [5]. A reliable literature value for the
σ = (1.195 ± 0.041) · 106 [S/m]. (18) skin depth could not be found for comparison but was
The skin depth of stainless steel at 10kHz was deter- determined experimentally to be δ=(1.5±0.1)mm.
mined to be δ=(1.5±0.1)mm using the averaged value of These results show that this experimental method can
conductivity and a plot of stainless steel’s skin depth as be used reliably to determine the skin depth and con-
a function of frequency is shown in Fig. 7. ductivity of metals. With the knowledge of the exact
 4

Phase Difference of Stainless Steel Log Log Plot of Skin Depth as a Function of Frequency
1.6
Stainless Steel Phase Difference Data Aluminum
Fit of phi(x)
1.4 Stainless Steel
1
10
Phase Difference [radians]

1.2

Skin Depth (mm)

1

0.8

0.6

0.4 0
10
0.2

2 3 4 5
-0.2 10 10 10 10
0 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 70000 80000 90000 100000
Frequency [Hz]
Frequency [Hz]

FIG. 6. Fit of φ for the phase difference of the stainless steel FIG. 7. Log Log Plot of Skin Depth as a function of Fre-
cylinder over the range of 3kHz-100kHz. quency for aluminum and stainless steel over the range 100Hz-
100kHz.

alloys used in this experiment a better comparison could

be made with the preciseness of the method.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author would like to thank Tongkai for looking

over the equipment; as well as Walter, Georg, Jordan,
Jason, and George for their help and guidance during
the experiment.

[1] Hall Effect and Resistivity Measurements in Doped GaAs,

UBC Physics 409 Lab Manual, (2011)
[2] Griffiths, David J. Introduction to Electrodynamics. Pren-
tice Hall Press, Englewood Cliffs USA, 1989.
[3] Conductivity and Resistivity Values for Aluminum
and Alloys, http://www.ndt-ed.org/GeneralResources/
MaterialProperties/ET/Conductivity_Al.pdf
[4] Magnetic Effects of Stainless Steel, http://www.
assda.asn.au/technical-info/answers-to-faqs/
magnetic-effects-of-stainless-steel
[5] Metal Conductivity: TIBTECH, http://www.tibtech.
com/conductivity.php
[6] Wikipedia: Permeability (electromagnetism),
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permeability_
(electromagnetism)
[7] NESS Engineering Technical Data: Skin Depth http://
www.nessengr.com/techdata/skin/skindepth.html