Plane Wave Equations

Alan Murray
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Maxwell's Equations Completed!
.
. 0
D
B
D
H J
B
E
C
t
t
V =
V =
c
V = +
c
c
V =
c
Gauss(D)
Gauss (B)
Ampere
Faraday
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
What does this mean?
. .
t
| |
=
} }}
|
\
c
.
c
dl E s
B
d
. .
C
t
c
c
| |
= +
} }}
|
\ .
s H
D
dl J d
a changing magnetic field causes an electric field
a changing electric field/flux causes an magnetic field
Question : If we put these together, can we get electric and
magnetic fields that, once created, sustain one another?
Faraday
Ampere
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Cross-breed Ampere and Faraday!
C
t
t t
t
o

c
c c
V = =
c c
V = + = +
c
c
c
c
... all in terms of E and H
... all in terms of
D
E
E
H J
a
B H
E
E nd H
( )
( )
dt d t
d
t
d
t

o c
c
| |
V = +
|
c
\ .
V V
c
| |
V =
|
c
\

.
... differentiate both sides
... curl of both
E
H E
H
E

sides
( )
2
2
d
d
d d
dt dt
d
t
d
t
c

o V
V = V V
+

=
H E
H
E
E
( )
2
2
d
dt
d
dt
o c V V =
E
E
E
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Cross-breed Ampere and Faraday!
C
t
t t
t
o

c
c c
V = =
c c
V = + = +
c
c
c
c
... all in terms of E and H
... all in terms of
D
E
E
H J
a
B H
E
E nd H
( ) ( )
( )
t
t
t
o c o c

c V
c
| |
V V = V + = V +
|
c c
c
V
.
c
\
=
... curl of b
H
E
oth sid s
E
E E e
E
H
( )
2
2
t t
o c
c c
V V =
c c
H H
H
Same equation as acquired for E
( )
2
2
d
dt
d
dt
o c V V =
E
E
E
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Now some simplifications
E = (0,E
Y
,0) only
x
y
z
E
Y
= E
Y0
sin(t-x)
Align y-axis with electric field and the x-axis with the
direction of (wave) propagation.
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Travelling Waves
E
Y
= E
Y0
sin(t)
E
Y
= E
Y0
sin(t)
E
Y
= E
Y0
sin(t-|)
E
Y
= E
Y0
sin(t-x)
Take a time-varying electric field,
E, at a point
Add a second one with a small
phase difference, nearby
Now lets have a lot of them,
with a sinusoidal variation
of phase with direction x.
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Plane Wave
We will also look for a plane wave solution where the field E
Y

is the same (at an instant in time) across the entire zy plane.
Here is an animation to see
what this means - looking at the
yz plane, down the direction of
travel
Look
down
here
E = (0,E
Y
,0) only
x
y
z
E
Y
= E
Y0
sin(t-x)
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Cross-breed Ampere and Faraday!
, 0 ,
0 0
y y
y
dE dE
d d d
dx dy dz dz dx
E
| |
V = =
|
\ .
i j k
E
( )
2 2 2 2
2 2
, ,
0
y y y y
y y
d E d E d E d E
d d d
dx dy dz dxdy dzdy dz dx
dE dE
dz dx
| |
V V = =
|
|
\ .

i j k
E
And, as we have simplified down to E=(0,E
y
,0), with |E
Y
| constant
in the zy plane, this reduces to
( )
2
2
y
y
d E
dx
V V = (

E
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Cross-breed Ampere and Faraday!
Plane wave equation for E
describes the variation in time and space of an electric plane wave
With a y-component only (we have aligned the y-axis with E)
propagating in the x-direction.
There is an exactly equivalent equation for H
Eliminate E, not H, from the combination of Ampere and Faraday.
rather a waste of our time : in notes, but not lectured.
We can, however, infer that whatever behaviour we get for E
y
will
apply to H, although we do not yet know the direction of H.
Watch this space

2 2
2 2
y y y
d E dE d E
dt dx dt
o c =
Becomes the 1D equation
( )
2
2
d d
dt dt
o c V V =
E E
E So (in 3D)
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
What have we here?
2 2
2 2
y y y
d E dE d E
dt
dx dt
o c = +
Variation of E
y
in space
(x=direction of propagation)
Variation of E
y
with time
Magnetic permeability
(4tx10
7
in vacuum, larger in a magnet)
Conductivity
(0 in an insulator, much larger in a conductor)
Dielectric constant
(8.85x10
-12
in a vacuum, larger in a dielectric)
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Start with an insulator
to make life easy (o=0)
2 2
2 2
y y
d E d E
dx dt
c =
( )
0
j t x
y y
E E e
e |
= Look for a solution of the form
Where e and | depend upon and c the characteristics of the insulator
2 2
2 2
y y y
d E dE d E
dt dx dt
o c = + becomes
2 2
2
2 2
2 2 2
1
,
y y
y y
d E d E
E E
dx dt
e
c | ce
c |
= = =
2
2
1
c
e
|
= , what does this mean??
, 2
2
2
2
Remember, = =
waveleng
f
t
requency d
h
an = f v f
t

t
t
| e t = =
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Still dont know what it means
Travelling wave
of the form
( )
( )
0 0
cos
j t x
y y y
E E e E t x
e |
e |

=
2
1 2
It travels with a velocity f v
t

|
e e
c | t
| |
|
\
| |
|
=
.
.
= = =
\
In a vacuum, =
0
=4tx10
-7
, c=c
0
=8.85x10
-12
8
0 0
1
3 10 / ... a familiar speed? v m s
c
= =
In (eg) glass, =
0
=4tx10
-7
, c=c
r
c
0
=5x8.85x10
-12
8
0 0
1
1.43 10 / ... light slows down in glass
r
v m s
c c
= =
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
This is why lenses work
V=3x10
8
m/s V=1.43x10
8
m/s V=3x10
8
m/s
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
What is H up to?
( )
(0, , 0)
j t x
y
E e
e |
= E
( )
( )
0
0, 0 , 0, 0 , ,
j t x
y
y
dE
d
j
x
E
t
e
e |
|

| |
=
|
\ .
c
V = V =
c

H
Faraday says E E
( ) ( )
( ) 0 0
(0, 0, ) , 0, 0,
H
H
j t j x
z z z
t x
z
H H H e
t
j H e
e | e |
e

c
= = =
c
So and if
( ) ( )
0 0
j t x
j t x
z y
H e E e
e |
e |
e |

=
H E time-pha and are in in a non-condu se ctor
0 0 0 0
1 1
Also,
z y y y
H E E E
| c
c
e
| |
= = =
|
\ .
(0,0, ) (0, , 0) So and are at 90 to one another ... and
z y
H E H E
i
Z

c
, the intrinsic impedance ( )of t real he medium, is for an insulator
Lookie here
And here
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Summary so far : Insulator
H and E both obey e
j(et-|x)

H and E are in time-phase
|E|=Z
i
|H|, Z
i
is the characteristic
impedance
Z
i
is real in an insulator
Z
i
= 377 in free space (air!)
Z
i
150 in glass
Wave travels at a velocity v=c
3x10
8
m/s in free space

Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Now a conductor
Fields lead to currents
Currents cause Joule heating (I
2
R)
Leads to loss of energy
Fields still oscillate, but they decay
Multiply the solution we have already
by a term e
-ox
?

e
-ox
e
-ox
sin(t-x)
HEA
T!
HEAT!
HEAT!
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Now a conductor o>0
2 2
2 2
c o = +
y y y
d E dE d E
dt dx dt
( )
0
e o |
=
j t x
y
x
y
E e e E
Look for a solution of the form
( )
0
j x j t
y y
E E e e
o | e +
=
( )
2
2 2
0 0 0 0
o | oe ce + = = +
y y y y
j E E j E E
. j o | = + For tidiness, write is called the propagation constant
( ) ( )
2
, j j j j e o ce e o ce = + = +
0
x j t
y y
E E e e
e
=
X X
X X
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Example : Good Conductor
o f e c o | v
6x10
7
(S/m) 100MHz 6.28x10
8
8.85x10
-12
1.26x10
-6
1.54x10
5
1.54x10
5
4x10
3
m/s
( )
0
,
x j t
y y
E E e e j j
e
e o ce

= = +
( ) ( )
3 3 5
790 6 10 0.006 790 6 10 1.54 10 (1 ) = + ~ = + j x j x j x j
Comments :
v<< speed of light
o = 1.54x10
5
>>1 rapid attenuation via e
-ox

Lets have a look at e
-ax

Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Example : Good Conductor
e
-x
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0m 10m 20m 30m
0.36=1/e
Amplitude falls by 0.36=1/e in 6m
i.e. the wave doesnt get far in copper!
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Example : Good Conductor,
E=Z
i
H . Intrinsic Impedance
( )
( ) 0
0, 0 , 0 , , , 0
H
Faraday says E E
y j t x
y
d
e
E
E
dx t
e


c
V = V =
c

| |
=
|
\ .
( ) ( )
( ) 0 0
(0, 0, ) , 0, 0,
e e
e

c
= = =
c
So and if
j t j t x
z
x
z z z
j H e H H H e
t
H
H
( )
0 0 0 y z i z
i
j
E H Z H
j j j
Z
j
j j
e

e e e
o ce
e o ce
| |
= =
|
\ .
= = =
+
+
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Example : Good Conductor,
E=Z
i
H. Intrinsic Impedance
4
0 0 0 0 0
j
y i z z z z
j j
E Z H H H e H
j
t
e e e
o ce o o
= = =
+
0
0
4
H E
y
z
j
E
H
e
t
e
o
= So relates the magnitudes of and
0 0
4
y z
E H
t
and leads by It looks like this
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Poynting Vector (introduction only)
P=ExH is called
the Poynting
Vector
direction of travel
power
Actually power/area



2
No proof but check dimensions
[P] =[E][H]
[V] [I] [VI]
[P] = =
[L] [L] [L ]
[P] =Power/area
E
I
H
I
P
E
I
H
I
P
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Reflection at a Boundary
E
I
H
I
E
T
H
T
E
R
H
R
Alan Murray University of Edinburgh
Reflection at a Boundary
E E E
H H H
I R T
I R T
+ =
=
1 1 2
H H H
H H H
I R T
I R T
Z Z Z + =
=
2 1 2 1
1 2 1 2
,

= =
+ +
H H reflection coefficient
R I
Z Z Z Z
Z Z Z Z
1 1
1 2 1 2
2 2
, H H transmission coefficient
T I
Z Z
Z Z Z Z
t = =
+ +
2 1
, 0 = = reflection coefficient Z Z
2 1
, 1 t = = transmission coefficient Z Z
2 1
, 1 >> = reflection coefficient Z Z
2 1
, 0 t >> = transmission coefficient Z Z