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Radiation integrals and auxiliary potential

functions
-A common practice is to specify the sources and then require the
fields radiated by the sources. This is in contrast to antennas, where the
radiated fields are specified and we are required to find the sources.
-It is common to introduce auxiliary functions, known as VECTOR
POTENTIALS. Most common vector potential functions are the magnetic
vector potential (A) and F- electric vector potential. Another pair is the Hertz
potentials Πe,Πh.
-while it is possible to calculate the E and H fields directly from the
source-current densities J and M (one step procedure), it is much simpler to
calculate the auxiliary potential functions first and then determine E and H
(two step procedure).

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 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB83DpBJQsE 2:50

Curl: grad: div:

 F Fy F
i j k F F F F  x   z
F  x y z
   
 F  x y z x y z
x y z   
Fx Fy Fz A   A     A
2 3
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Maxwell taught us:

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 1.1 The vector potential A for an electric current source J

The vector potential A is useful in solving for the EM field generated by a given
harmonic electric current J. The magnetic flux B is always solenoidal, that is
. B  0
=> it can be represented as the curl of another vector because it obeys the vector identity:
 A  0
A is an arbitrary vector. Thus we define: B A  H A    A
or:
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HA  A

where the subscript indicates the field due to the A potential => (from Maxwell’s eq.):

  E A   jH A   j  A

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   E A  jA  0
which can also be written as:

From the vector identity:

   e   0
and it follows that:
E A  jA  e
or: E A   jA  e

The scalar function e represents an arbitrary electric scalar potential

which is a function of position.

-the curl of both sides and using the vector identity:

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     A    A    2 A
reduces to:   H A     A    2 A

For homogeneous medium reduces to:

  H A    A    2 A
.
From Maxwell’s eq.:
  H A  J  jEA
we find:
J  jE A    A    2 A
Thus:

E A   jA  e  2 A  k 2 A   J    A  je 

k 2   2  .
We define the divergence of A as:
  A   je

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=> A
e   (the LORENTZ condition).
j

=>  2 A  k 2 A   J
.
Finally,
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E A  e  jA   jA  j A 


!!!! Once A is known => EA and HA

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HA  A
 9
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 1.2 The vector potential F for a magnetic current source M

The fields generated by a harmonic magnetic current in a homogeneous region,

with J=0 but M n.e.0 must satisfy:  D  0
Therefore, EF can be expressed as the curl of the vector potential F by: 1
EF     F

Substituting into Maxwell’s eq:   H  jE
F F
reduces to:   H F  jF   0

From the vector identity it follows that:

H F  m  jF
(1)
m represents an arbitrary magnetic scalar potential which is a function of position.

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 Taking the curl of:   EF  
1
   F  
1
  F   F
2

 

and equating it to Maxwell’s equation:   EF  M  jH F

leads to:
 2F  jH F    F  M
.
Substituting (1):
 2 F  k 2 F  M    F    jm 
By letting:
  F   jm
=>
1
m   F
j

thus:
 2 F  k 2F  M
j
and to: H   jF  F 
F

!!!! Once F is known => EF and HF 12
 Summary:
• to find the E, H fields from J, M one has to determine first the vector potentials A
&F

• after:
• A=>EA &HA
• F=>EF &HF
1 1
E  EA  EF  A   jA    F
j 
1 1
H  HA  HF   
   F    A  jF
j 

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 A&F (results)

  jkR

 A  k A   J
2 2
=> A
4  J e
V
R
dV '


 F  k F  M
2 2  jkR
=> F
4 M e R
dV '
V

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 Solution of the inhomogeneous vector potential wave
equation
Let us assume that a source with current density J z which in the limit is an
infinitesimal source is placed at the origin of a x,y,z coordinate system. Since the current
density is directed along the z-axis, only an Az component will exist =>
(outside the source Jz=0)  2 Az  k 2 Az  0
The source is a point => Az= Az(r), where r is the radial distance =>
1   2 Az (r ) 
 2 Az ( r )  k 2 Az (r )  r   k Az (r )  0
2

r r 
2
r 
d 2 Az (r ) 2 dAz (r )
2
  k 2
Az (r )  0
dr r dr
-the partial derivatives were replaced by ordinary derivatives
because A is just a function of r (point source). The differential equation has
two independent solutions: e  jkr
Az1  C1
and r
e  jkr
Az 2  C2
r
We chose the first one! 15
 In the presence of the source (Jz n.e. to 0) and k=0, the wave equation reduces
to (Poisson’s equation):

 2 Az   J z
We know that (Poisson's equation for electrostatics):

 2  


whose solution is:

1 

4  r dV '
V

r is the distance from any point on the charge density to the observation point =>
analogy  Jz
Az 
4 dV '
r r
Eq. above represents solution for the static case (k=0). The time varying solution is:
 J z e  jkr
Az 
4 
r
r
dV '

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Similar we find:
 J x e  jkr
Ax 
4  r dV '
r

Thus:
 Je  jkR
A
4 
r R
dV '

For electric and magnetic currents, Ie and Im we find the line integral form:

 e  jkR
A
4  I e ( x, y , z )
R
dl

and
 e  jkR
F
4  I m ( x, y , z )
R
dl

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For a patch antenna of length 30 cm x 30cm, positioned in the xy plane,
symmetrical around the origin, the electric current is:

I e  a x  3 x  5 y   a y   x  y 

Determine the potential vector A and the E field, assuming there is no

magnetic source.

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