2.3.1 Reflection and Transmission at Normal Incidence In figure 2.

9, the xy plane forms the boundary between two linear media. A linearly polarized plane waves approaches the interface of two media with unlike refractive indices from the left. The incident wave is given by   where is given by the angular frequency,[ of the wave and the refractive index, (2.6) (2.7) of

the material. 
[ P T

(2.8)

Figure 2.9. A linearly polarized plane waves approaches the interface of two media with unlike refractive indices from the left. Figure taken from Griffiths [25].

If the incident wave approaches the boundary of the two media, some of the wave will get reflected back from the first medium. The reflected wave is defined as,

  The negative sign in the reflected magnetic field,

(2.9) (2.10) as given by the fact that the

magnetic field is a cross product between the propagation vector and the electric field or by the fact that the Poynting vector aims in the direction of propagation. The other wave that is not reflected by the interface will transmit through the other medium on the right. The transmitted wave is defined as,   At , the combined fields on the medium (1), and (2.11) (2.12) , must be

equivalent to the field on the medium (2), given by I  At I  Q

, according to the boundary condition



(2.13)

, there are no components perpendicular to the surface, so (i) and (ii) are

trivial. And (iii) follows that, (2.14) While (iv) says

Q Q

(2.15) (2.16) (2.17)

Q Q Q

F where

(2.18)

From equations (2.14) and (2.18), the amplitude of the outgoing wave can be attained in terms of incidents amplitude (2.19) given that , the permittivities and we have (2.20) The amplitude reflection coefficient is then given by, (2. 21) While the ratio of the reflected intensity of light to the incident intensity is just the square of the real part of the amplitude reflection coefficient and is given by, (2.22) Again, the amplitude of the transmitted wave, in terms of the incident wave, can also be obtained from equations (2.14) and (2.18) (2.23) are close to their values in vacuum, it follows that

(2.24) Then, the amplitude transmission coefficient is then given by, (2.25)

And the ratio of the transmitted intensity of light to the incident intensity, again, is just the square of the real part of the amplitude reflection coefficient and is given by, (2.26)