Electromagnetic Fields
Normal Incidence on an Interface
Consider a planar interface between two unbounded media, and a
uniform plane wave with normal incidence on the interface.
x
Medium 1 Interface Medium 2
ε1 = εr1 εo {x,y}-plane ε2 = εr2 εo
µ1 = µr1 µo µ2 = µr2 µo
σ1 σ2
Incident wave
Transmitted wave
Reflected wave
0 z
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Electromagnetic Fields
Because of the medium discontinuity, the incident wave
experiences a partial reflection at the interface.
In medium 2, only a forward transmitted wave exists
The total fields at the interface must satisfy the boundary
conditions for electromagnetic fields. Without loss of generality,
we assume the following orientation for the electromagnetic fields
of the waves
Ex
Propagation
z
Hy
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Electromagnetic Fields
Recalling the solution for Helmholtz equation, the phasor fields in
the medium 1 can be written as
E1 ( z ) = E1+ exp( −γ1 z ) + E1− exp( γ1 z )
H1 ( z ) = H1+ exp( −γ1 z ) + H1− exp( γ1 z )
=
1
η1
(
E1+ exp( − γ1 z ) − E1− exp( γ1 z ) )
Total Incident wave Reflected wave
Field
jωµ1
γ1 = jωµ1 (σ1 + jωε1 ) η1 =
σ1 + jωε1
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Electromagnetic Fields
The forward transmitted wave in medium 2 is given by
E2 x ( z ) = E+2 exp( −γ 2 z )
H 2 y ( z ) = H +2 exp( −γ 2 z )
1 +
= E2 exp( −γ 2 z )
η2
Total Transmitted wave
Field
jωµ 2
γ2 = jωµ 2 (σ 2 + jωε 2 ) η2 =
σ 2 + jωε 2
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Electromagnetic Fields
Both fields are parallel to the interface. The boundary conditions
indicate that the total fields are continuous at the interface. Note
that we are assuming a finite conductivity, therefore no surface
current exists and the tangent magnetic field is also continuous.
The interface is located at z = 0 so all exponentials are equal to 1:
E1 x ( z = 0) = E2 x ( z = 0) ⇒ E1+ + E1− = E2+
H1 y ( z = 0) = H2 y ( z = 0) ⇒
1
η1
( + −
)
E1 − E1 =
1 +
η2
E2
+
Assuming that the amplitude E1 of the incident wave is known, we
− +
have two unknowns E1 and E2 . In order to obtain a general result,
it is convenient to solve the equations above in terms of reflection
− + + +
coefficient (E1 /E1 ) and transmission coefficient (E2 /E1 ).
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Electromagnetic Fields
Reflection Coefficient
E1−
η2 − η1
ΓE = =
+ η +η
E1 2 1
This is similar to the voltage load reflection coefficient found for a
transmission line, if one considers the following analogy
Medium 1 ⇔ Transmission Line
η1 ⇔ Z0 Characteristic Impedance
Medium 2 ⇔ Load
η2 ⇔ ZR Load Impedance
For the magnetic field
H1− − E1− / η1 E1−
ΓH = = =− = −Γ E
H1+ E1+ / η1 E1+
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Electromagnetic Fields
Transmission Coefficient
E2+
E1+ + E1− E1−
τE = = =1+
E1+ E1+ E1+
2 η2
= 1 + ΓE =
η2 + η1
For the magnetic field we have
H+2
H1+ + H1− H1− E1−
τH = = =1+ =1− = 1 − ΓE
+ + + +
H1 H1 H1 E1
NOTE: The reflection and transmission coefficients for the fields are
in general complex quantities.
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Electromagnetic Fields
Special cases
Matched Impedances
η1 = η2 ⇒ Γ E = 0 and τ E = 1
In this case we have total transmission into medium 2 and no
reflection.
Medium 2 = Perfect Conductor
σ 2 → ∞ ⇒ η2 = 0 ⇒ Γ E = −1 and τ E = 0
The wave experiences total reflection, consistent with the fact that
the fields must be zero inside the perfect conducting medium. This
case is analogous to a line with a short circuit load. The total
electric fields at the interface is
E1+ + E1− = E1+ + Γ E E1+ = E1+ − E1+ = E+2 = 0
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Electromagnetic Fields
Perfect Dielectric Media
µ1
σ1 = 0 ⇒ η1 = = Real
ε1
µ2
σ 2 = 0 ⇒ η2 = = Real
ε2
Usually,
µ1 = µ 2 = µ o
µ o / ε 2 − µ o / ε1 1 − ε 2 / ε1
⇒ ΓE = = = Real
µ o / ε 2 + µ o / ε1 1 + ε 2 / ε1
1 − ε 2 / ε1 2
τE = 1 + Γ = 1 + = = Real
1 + ε 2 / ε1 1 + ε 2 / ε1
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Electromagnetic Fields
Power flow
Assuming dielectric media (no-loss) for simplicity, the time-average
power associated with the incident wave and the reflected wave is
+2
1 E1
{ }
G 1 G G*
P( t ) in = Re E × H =
2 2 η1
+2
G 1 E1 2
P( t ) refl = ΓE
2 η1
The power reflection coefficient is
G
P( t ) refl
2
ΓP = G = ΓE
P( t ) in
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Electromagnetic Fields
The time-average power flow transmitted in medium 2 is
+2
G 1 E2
P( t ) trans =
2 η2
Also
+2
1 E1
G G G
P( t ) trans = P( t ) in − P( t ) refl =
2 η1 ( 1 − ΓE
2
)
since power flow normal to the interface must be continuous
+2 +2
1 E2 1 E1
⇒
2 η2
=
2 η1 (1 − Γ E ) 2
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Electromagnetic Fields
The power transmission coefficient is
G
P( t ) trans 2 η1
τP = G = τE
P( t ) in η2
G G
P( t ) in − P( t ) refl
2
= G = 1 − ΓE
P( t ) in
Note that, as a consequence of power conservation, from the
results above one gets
2 2
Γ P + τP = Γ E + 1 − Γ E = 1
NOTE: the reflection and transmission coefficients for the time-
average power flow are always real.
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