E M Waves and Transmission Lines Unit 1

Lecture Notes 21
Conductors in electric field

Conductors
Definition 1 Conductors are materials which have very low resistance. Examples:
Copper, Silver and Aluminium
Definition 2 Conductors are materials for which no forbidden gap exists between
valance band conduction band.
σ
Definition 3 a material is defined as a conductor if >> 1.
ω∈
Conductors have a variety of applications in all fields of life.
PROPERTIES OF CONDUCTORS
1. Charge density is zero within a conductor.
2. The surface charge density resides on the exterior surface of a conductor.
3. In static conductors, current flow is zero.
4. Electric field is zero within a conductor.
5. Conductivity is very large.
6. Resistivity is small.
7. Magnetic field is zero inside a conductor.
8. Good conductors reflect electric and magnetic fields completely.
9. A conductor consists of a large number of free electrons which constitute
conduction current with the application of an electric field.
10. A conductor is an equipotential body.
11. The potential is same everywhere in the conductor.
12. E = −∇V = 0 in a conductor.
13. In a perfect conductor, conductivity is infinity.
14. When an external field is applied to a conductor, the positive charges move in the
direction E and the negative charges move in the opposite direction. This happens
very quickly.
15. Free charges are confined to the surface of the conductor and hence surface
charge density, J s is induced. These charges create internal induced electric field.
This field cancels the external field.
It is interesting to note that copper and silver are not super conductors but
aluminium is a superconductor for temperature below 1.14K.

ELECTRIC CURRENT
The current through a given medium is defined as charge passing through the medium per
unit time. It is a scalar, that is,
dQ
I≡ , Ampere
dt
Current is of three types.
1. Convection current.
2. Conduction current
3. Displacement current

B. I. Neelgar, ECE, GMRIT.

E M Waves and Transmission Lines Unit 1
Lecture Notes 21
1.Convection current It is defined as the current produced by a beam of electrons
flowing through an insulating medium. This does not obey Ohm,s law. For example,
current through a vacuum, liquid and so on is convection current.
2. Conduction current It is defined as the current produced due to flow of electrons in a
conductor. This obeys Ohm’s law. For example, current in a conductor like copper is
conduction current.
3. Displacement current It is defined as the current which flows as a result of time-
varying electric field in a dielectric material. For example, current through a capacitor
when a time-varying voltage is applied is displacement current.
CURRENT DENSITIES
In electromagnetic field theory, it is of interest to describe the events at a point instead of
in a large region. This is the reason why current densities are considered.
Current densities are vector quantities.
Current Density is defined as the current at a given point through a unit normal
area at that point. It is a vector and it has the unit of Ampere / m2. It is represented by J.
Current density is of three types.
1. Convection current density.
2. Conduction current density
3. Displacement current density
1. Convection current density (A/m2) It is defined as the convection current at a given
point through a unit normal area at the point, that is,
Convection current density
dI
≡
dS
dI
≡ an
dS
where dI = differential convection current
dS = differential area
= dSa n
an = outward unit normal to dS
2. Conduction current density, Jc (A/m2) It is defined as the conduction current at a
given point through a unit normal area at that point,

that is, J c ≡ σE
dI
and Jc ≡ an
dS
Conduction current density exists in the case of conductors when an electric field is
applied.
3. Displacement current density, Jd (A/m2) It is defined as the rate of displacement
elelctric flux density with time, that is,

∂D
Jd ≡
∂t

B. I. Neelgar, ECE, GMRIT.

E M Waves and Transmission Lines Unit 1
Lecture Notes 21
If Id is displacement current in a dielectric due to applied electric field, displacement
current density is defiend as

dI d
Jd ≡ an
dS
As D =∈ E
∂D ∂E
Jd = =∈
∂t ∂t
In fact, displacement current density exists due to displacement of bound charges in a
dielectric by the applied electric field.

Equation of continuity in integral form is I = ∫ J .ds

I = outward flow of current (A)
J = conduction current density (A/m2)
∇.J = − ρυ
∂ρυ
where ρυ =
∂t
Proof If Qi is the charge inside a closed surface, the rate of decrease of charge due to the
 dQi 
outward flow of current is given by  − 
 dt 
From the principle of conservation of charge, we have

dQi
I =− = ∫ J .ds
dt s
From divergence theorem, we have
∫ J .ds = ∫ ∇.Jdυ
s υ

dQi
So, ∫ ∇.Jdυ = −
υ dt
d
dt υ∫
= ρυ d υ = − ∫ ρυ d υ
υ
Two volume integrals are equal if the integrands are equal. So,
∂ρ
∇.J = − υ = − ρυ Hence proved.
dt
In the above equation the derivative became a partial derivative as the surface is
kept constant.
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS ON E AND D
1. The tangential component of E is continuous across any boundary, that is,
E tan 1 = E tan 2
or

B. I. Neelgar, ECE, GMRIT.

E M Waves and Transmission Lines Unit 1
Lecture Notes 21
The tangential component of E in medium 1 is the same as that of E in medium 2 at any
boundary.
2. The normal component of D is continuous across any boundary except at the surface
of the conductor. In general,
Dn1 − Dn 2 = ρ s

ρ s = surface charge density, (C/m2). For any point other than the conductor boundary,
Dn1 = Dn 2 .
PROOF OF BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Consider the rectangular loop on the boundary of two media (figure 1)

Rectangular loop on boundary

It is well known that electric field is conservative and hence the line integral of
E.dL is zero around a closed path, that is, ∫ E.dL = 0
From the figure shown above, LHS is written as

∫ E.dL = ∫ + ∫ + ∫ + ∫ + ∫ + ∫
01 12 23 34 45 50

∆y ∆y ∆y ∆y
= E y1 + E x1∆x − E y 3 − Ey4 − E x 2 ∆x + E y 2
2 2 2 2
As ∆y → 0, we get

∫ E.dL = E x1 ∆x − E x 2 ∆x = 0

Thus, E x1 = E x 2

It is obvious that E x1 and E x 2 are the tangential components of E in medium 1 and 2

respectively.
So, E tan 1 = E tan 2
Now consider a cylinder across the media 1 and 2 (figure 2)

B. I. Neelgar, ECE, GMRIT.

E M Waves and Transmission Lines Unit 1
Lecture Notes 21

Cylindrical surfaces on boundary

According to Gauss’ law,

∫ D.ds = Q
Applying this to the cylindrical surface on the boundary spreading over medium 1 and 2,
we get ∆h → 0
Dn1∆s − Dn 2 ∆s = Q

Q
or, Dn1 − Dn 2 = = ρS
∆S
Dn1 − Dn 2 = ρ S Hence prooved.

Problem 1 The region y<0 contains a dielectric material for which ∈r1 = 2.0 and the
region y>0 contains a dielectric material for which ∈r1 = 4.0 . If
E1 = −3.0a x + 5.0a y + 7.0a zV / m, find the electric field, E2 and D2 in medium 2.

Solution As y<0 belongs to medium 1 and y>0 belongs to medium 2

E tan 1 = −3.0a x + 5.0a y + 7.0a zV / m
E n1 = 5.0a yV / m
∈r1 = 2
∈r 2 = 4

The boundary condition on tangential component of E is

E tan 1 = E tan 2

E tan 2 = −3.0a x + 7.0a zV / m

∈r1 2
and En2 = E n1 = × 5a y
∈r 2 4

` = 2 .5 a y

B. I. Neelgar, ECE, GMRIT.

E M Waves and Transmission Lines Unit 1
Lecture Notes 21
E 2 = E tan 2 + E n 2

E 2 = −3a x + 2.5a y + 7.0a zV / m

D2 =∈2 ( E 2 )
= 4 ∈0 ( E 2 )

D2 =∈0 (−12a x + 10a y + 28a z )C / m 2

B. I. Neelgar, ECE, GMRIT.