9/21/2019

Electromagnetics:
Electromagnetic Field Theory

Magnetostatic Boundary 
Conditions
1

Outline

• Boundary conditions for tangential fields

• Boundary conditions for normal fields
• Law of refraction for magnetic flux

Slide 2

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Deriving Boundary Conditions
Just like was done for electrostatic fields, the boundary conditions for magnetostatic
fields will be derived using Maxwell’s equations in integral form.

 
I   H  d  Boundary conditions for tangential
magnetic fields.
L

 
 B  ds
0 Boundary conditions for normal
magnetic fields.
S

Slide 3

Boundary Conditions for 
Tangential Components

Slide 4

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Analysis Setup
1 1 Let’s examine the interface between two
materials with a surface current at the
interface.
 
H1,n 
H1  K
H1,t We wish to examine the relation between

 magnetic fields on either side of the

H 2,t
n̂12
H 2,n H2 interface, so that if one is known the other
can be calculated.

It will be useful to separate the field on

either side of the interface into tangential
2 2 and normal components.

Slide 5

Derivation of Tangential BCs
1 1 Apply the following integral to a closed
path spanning some section of the
interface.
 
H1,n   
H1  K I   H  d 
H1,t a
L
 b
 d b
  0   c  

H 2,t
n̂12 h K w   H  d    H  d    H  d 
H 2,n H2 w c
a b 0
d
  0   a  
 H  d    H  d    H  d 
c d 0

h h
 H1,t w  H1,n  H 2,n
2 2
h h
2 2  H 2,t w  H 2,n
2
 H1,n
2

Slide 6

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Derivation of Tangential BCs
1 1 Cancel like terms with opposite sign.

h h
K w  H1,t w  H1,n  H 2,n
 
H1,n  2 2
H1 
H1,t K a h h
 H 2,t w  H 2,n  H1,n
 b 2 2

H 2,t  n̂12
d
h
H 2,n H2 w c  H1,t w  H 2,t w

K  H1,t  H 2,t

From this, it is concluded that

  
2 2
 
H1  H 2  nˆ12  K

Slide 7

Derivation of Tangential BCs
1 1 Apply the constitutive relation to get the
boundary condition for 𝐵.

    
H 

H1,n
H1 
H1,t K a 1  H 2  ˆ
n12  K
 b  

H 2,t  n̂12
d
h  B1 B2  
H 2,n H2 w c
    nˆ12  K
 1 2 

2 2
Slide 8

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Derivation of Tangential BCs
1 1 In the absence of a surface current 𝐾, the
boundary conditions reduce to

 
H1,n 
H1 
H1,t K a  

H1,t  H 2,t
b

H 2,t  n̂12
d
h
H 2,n H2 w c  
B1,t B2,t

1 2

2 2
Slide 9

Boundary Conditions for 
Normal Components

Slide 10

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Derivation of Normal BCs
1 1 Apply the following surface integral to a
pillbox spanning the interface.
 
 
B1,n S  B  ds
0
B1 
B1,t
S


B2,t  Separate the closed‐surface integral into
 h
B2,n B2 three separate surface integrals.
     
0   B  ds   B  ds   B  ds
top bottom sides

2 2
Slide 11

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Derivation of Normal BCs
1
In the limit as h  0
     
0   B  ds   B  ds   B  ds
top bottom sides
 
B1,n S
B1 
B1,t
 B1,n S  B2,n S



B2,t  h The boundary condition is that the normal
B2,n B2 component of 𝐵 is continuous across the
interface.
 
B1,n  B2,n
2 2
Slide 12

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Derivation of Normal BCs
1
Apply the constitutive relation to get the
boundary condition for 𝐻.
 
 
B1,n S B1,n  B2,n
B1 
B1,t  
 1 H1,n  2 H 2,n

B2,t  h
B2,n B2
The normal component of 𝐻 is NOT continuous
across the interface, but the product 𝜇𝐻 is.

2 2
Slide 13

13

Law of Refraction for 
Magnetic Flux

Slide 14

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Analysis Setup
1 1 
B1
It is desired to have a single equation that
relates 1, 2, 1, and 2 without any field

B1,n
 quantities in the equation.
H1 
H1,n
1 
Given the angles 1 and 2, the field

B1,t
 H1,t
H2 
components can be written as
2 H 2,n

B2 
H 2,t  

B2,t
B2,n H1  H1,t aˆt  H1,n aˆn
  H1 sin 1  aˆt   H1 cos 1  aˆn

H 2  H 2,t aˆt  H 2,n aˆn
  H 2 sin  2  aˆt   H 2 cos  2  aˆn

2 2
Slide 15

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Derivation of Refraction Law
1 1 
B1
Apply the boundary conditions for
tangential components.

B1,n
 H1,t  H 2,t
H1 
H1,n
1  
B1,t
H1 sin 1  H 2 sin  2
 H1,t
H2 
 2 H 2,n

B2 
H 2,t 

B2,t
B2,n Apply the boundary conditions for normal
components.
1 H1,n  2 H 2,n
1 H1 cos 1  2 H 2 cos  2

2 2
Slide 16

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Derivation of Refraction Law
1 1 
B1
Given the following two equations
 H1 sin 1  H 2 sin  2
B1,n
 1 H1 cos 1  2 H 2 cos  2
H1 
H1,n
1  
 H1,t B1,t Divide these equations to get
H2 
 2 H 2,n H1 sin 1 H 2 sin  2
 
B2 H 2,t  1 H1 cos 1 2 H 2 cos  2
 B2,n
B2,t
Simplify

tan 1 tan  2

1 2
2 2 This is NOT Snell’s law.

Slide 17

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