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Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
Take the curl of the first equation and make use of the
second and the third equations, we have: Note :
E = ( E ) 2 E
2
2 E = H = 2 E
t t
This is called the wave equation:
2
2E 2 E = 0
t
A similar equation for H can be obtained:
2
H 2 H = 0
2
t
Hon Tat Hui
2 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
2
E 0 0 2 E = 0
2
t
where
1
0 0 = 2
c
n n j t
E( x, y, z , t ) = Re n E( x, y, z )e
t n
t
jt
= Re ( j ) E( x, y, z )e
n
" E(x, y, z, t )dt " dt = Re " E(x, y, z )e dt " dt
jt
1 jt
= Re E( x, y, z )e
( j )
n
Hon Tat Hui
5 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
t
(dropping the dot sign) 2 E + 0 0 2 E = 0
Hon Tat Hui
6 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
E = - jB
H = jD
D =
B = 0
Using the phasor form expression, the wave equation for
E field is also called the Helmholtzs equation, which is:
2 E + 0 0 2 E = 2 E + k 2 E = 0
where k = 0 0
2 2 2 2
2 + 2 + 2 + k Ex = 0
x y z
Consider a special case of the Ex in which there is no
variation of Ex in the x and y directions, i.e.,
2 2
Ex = 2 Ex = 0
x 2
y
Hon Tat Hui
9 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
d 2 Ex (z ) 2
2
+ k Ex (z ) = 0
dz
At t = 0, E x (z ,0 ) = cos( z ) 1
Ex
-1
-1
At t = 2 s, E x (z ,2 ) = cos(2 z ) 1
Ex
-1
( 2) E x z = E0 e E x z , t = Re E0 e e }
( ) + jkz
( ) { + jkz jt
= E0 cos(t + kz )
At t = 0, E x (z ,0 ) = cos( z ) 1
Ex
-1
-1
At t = 2 s, E x ( z ,2 ) = cos(2 + z ) 1
Ex
-1
E
(1) At t = 0, x ( z ,0 ) = E0 cos( kz ).
+
E x ( z )
= = = = ()
H y (z ) k
0
0 = = 120 377
0
E = E0 e jk r
jk r
H = H 0e
E0 and H0 are vectors in arbitrary directions. k is the
vector propagation constant whose magnitude is k
and whose direction is the direction of propagation of
the wave. r is the observation position vector.
k = k x x + k y y + k z z , k = k x2 + k y2 + k z2
r = xx + yy + zz
Hon Tat Hui
23 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
k Right-hand rule:
H
(middle finger)
Example 1
A uniform plane wave with E = x E x propagates in the +z-
direction in a lossless medium with r = 4 and r = 1.
Assume that Ex is sinusoidal with a frequency of 100 MHz
and that it has a positive maximum value of 10-4 V/m at t = 0
and z = 1/8 m.
(a) Calculate the wavelength and the phase velocity up,
and find expressions for the instantaneous electric and
magnetic field intensities.
(b) Determine the positions where Ex is a positive
maximum at the time instant t = 10-8s.
(a) k r = kz,
, kkk
k
1 c
up = = = = 1.5 108 (m/s)
k 4
k
(phasor form)
(instantaneous form)
Hon Tat Hui
27 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
k = z
(m)
See animation Plane Wave Simulator
Ex Ex Ex
E = x E x + y E y E x = E x 0 e jkz
= x E x 0 e jkz
y jE y 0 e jkz E y = jE y 0 e jkz
Example 2
Two circularly polarized plane waves watched at z = 0 are
given by:
E1 (t ) = x 5 cos(t + 53.1) + y 5 sin (t + 53.1)
E 2 (t ) = x 5 cos(t 53.1) y 5 sin (t 53.1)
Show that they combine together to form a linearly
polarized wave.
Solutions:
E = E1 + E2 = x [5 cos(t + 53.1) + 5 cos(t 53.1)]
+ y [5 sin (t + 53.1) 5 sin (t 53.1)]
= x 10 cos(t )cos(53.1) + y 10 cos(t )sin (53.1)
= x 6 cos(t ) + y 8 cos(t )
Hon Tat Hui
36 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
Now,
E x = 6 cos(t ), E y = 8 cos(t )
Let X = Ex , Y = E y
Y 8 cos(t ) 4
Then = =
X 6 cos(t ) 3
4 4
Y = X equation of a straight line with slope =
3 3
Hence the locus of the combined electric field falls on a
straight line and the polarization of the combined wave is
thus linear.
Hon Tat Hui
37 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
1. Ratio of E y 0 to E x 0
Ey0
= tan 1
, 0 90
Ex0
2. Phase difference between E x and E y ,
i.e., , - 180 180
Hon Tat Hui
38 Plane Wave Propagation in Lossless Media
NUS/ECE EE2011
For example:
= 0 or 90 and for any value of
linearly polarized
= 45 and = 90
(right - hand) circularly polarized