Electromagnetic Plane Waves

2
2
2
2
1
t c c
c
= V
B
B

2
2
2
2
1
t c c
c
= V
E
E

m/s 10 0 . 3
1
8
0 0
= =
c
c
Simple Guess: traveling wave with E field along x, moving along z:
( ) k j i t kz E
x

0

cos
0
+ + = e E

( ) k j i t kz E
x

0

cos
0
+ + = e E

I. Gauss Law (vacuum, no charges):

( )
0 ) , (
0
= V = V
t r k j
e E t r
e

E
( )
0
0
=
t r k j
e E k j

k

E so
II. No Monopoles:
( )
0 ) , (
0
= V = V
t r k j
e B t r
e

B
( )
0
0
=
t r k j
e B k j

k

B so
Always (for all
space at all times)
Always
0
0
= E k

0
0
= B k

t c
c
= V
B
E

III. Faradays Law:

( )
t
e E
t r k j
c
c
= V

B

e
0
( )
( )
i
t
B
i e E jk E jk
x
t r k j
oy z oz y

c
c
=
e

ox
oy z oz y
B
E k E k
=

e
E B

Always
z
y
x
( ) t r k E t z y x e =


sin ) , , , (
0
E
r

= wave vector
Plane of constant , constant E
r k

( ) t r k j
e E t
e
=

0
) , (r E
Arbitrary Plane Wave
k

0
E

const z k y k x k
z y x
= + +
Energy density (J/m
3
) in an electrostatic field:
2
0 2
1
E u
E
c =
Energy density (J/m
3
) in an magnetostatic field:
2
0
2
1
B u
B

=
Energy density in an electromagnetic wave is equally divided:
B
u =
2
0 2
1
E u
E
c =
2 2
0 2
1
B c c =
2
0 0
0
2
B
c
c
=
Rate of energy transport: Power (W)
k

cAt
A
t
t uAc
t
V u
t
energy
P
A
A
=
A
A
=
A
=
ucA P =
Power per unit area (W/m
2
):
uc S =
EB c S
2
0
c =
B E c S

=
2
0
c
Pointing Vector
John Henry Poynting
2
1
2
0
0
B E u u u
B E total
c = = + =
Poynting
Poynting Vector oscillates very rapidly!
( ) t E E e cos
0
= ( ) t B B e cos
0
=
( ) t B E c S e c
2
0 0
2
0
cos =
( ) t B E c S e c
2
0 0
2
0
cos =
Take the time average:
0 0
2
0 2
1
B E c S c =
e
E S =
Irradiance (W/m
2
)
( ) t r k E t e =

cos ) , (
0
r E
10
-9
10
-12
10
-15
10
-6
10
-3
1

10
3
X-ray Gamma ray UV Infrared radar radio
(meters)
ck = e
Visible Light
400 nm 700 nm