Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr.

Muhammed Al-kafaji

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

Al Furat Al Awsat Technical University
Al Mosaib Technical College
Electric Power Engineering Techniques Department

Shielding, Image Theory

The physics of electromagnetic shielding and electromagnetic image theory
(also called image theorem) go hand in hand. They work by the moving of
charges around so as to cancel the impinging fields. By understanding simple
cases of shielding and image theory, we can gain enough insight to solve some
real-world problems. For instance, the art of shielding is very important in the
field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and electromagnetic
interference (EMI). In the modern age where we have more electronic
components working
side by side in a very compact environment, EMC/EMI because an
increasingly challenging issue. These problems have to be solved using
heuristics with a high dosage of physical insight.

1.Shielding
We can understand shielding by understand how electric charges move
around in a conductive medium. These charges move around to shield out the
electric field, or cancel the impinging field inside the conductor. There are two
cases to consider: the static case and the dynamic case. The physical
arguments needed to understand these two cases are quite different.
Moreover, since there are no magnetic charges around, the shielding of
magnetic field is quite different from that of electric field, as shall be seen
below.

1.1 A Note on Electrostatic Shielding

We begin with the simple case of electrostatic shielding. For electrostatic
problems, a conductive medium suffices to produce surface charges that
shield out the electric field from the conductive medium. If the electric field is
not zero, then since J = σE, the electric current inside the conductor will keep
flowing. The current will produce charges on the surface of the conductor to
cancel the imping field, until inside the conductive medium E = 0. In this case,
electric current ceases to flow in the conductor.

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

In other words, when the field reaches the quiescent state, the charges
redistribute themselves so as to shield out the electric field, and that the total
internal electric field, E = 0. And from Faraday's law that tangential E field is
continuous, then n^×E = 0 on the conductor surface since n^×E = 0 inside the
conductor. Figure.1 shows the static electric field, in the quiescent state,
between two conductors (even though they are not PEC), and the electric
field has to be normal to the conductor surfaces.
Electrostatic shielding is the phenomenon that is observed when a Faraday
cage (as shown in figure(2)) operates to block the effects of an electric field.
Such a cage can block the effects of an external field on its internal contents,
or the effects of an internal field on the outside environment.

Figure.1 The objects can just be conductors, and in the quiescent state (static state), the
tangential electric field will be zero on their surfaces.

Figure.2 Faraday cage example

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

1.2 Relaxation Time

The time it takes for the charges to move around until they reach their
quiescent distribution such that E(t) = 0 is called the relaxation time.
It is very much similar to the RC time constant of an RC circuit consisting of
a resistor in series with a capacitor. If some amount of charge is placed inside
a volume of conducting material, the Coulomb forces on the individual
charges cause them to migrate away from each other (assuming the charge is
all positive or all negative). The end result is a surface charge on the outer
surface of the conductor while the inside of the conductor remains charge-
neutral. The time required for the conductor to reach this charge-neutral
state is related to a time constant designated as the relaxation time. The
relaxation time can be determined by inserting the relationship for the
current density in terms of electric field
J=σE
into the continuity equation

which yields
( )
The divergence of the electric field is related to the charge density by
( )
Inserting this result into previous equation yields

The solution to this homogeneous, first order PDE is

where Tr is the relaxation time given by

For a perfect electric conductor (PEC), E = 0 inside with the following

argument: Because J = σ.E where σ→∞, let us assume an infinitesimally small
time-varying electric field in the PEC to begin with. It will yield an infinitely
large electric current, and hence an infinitely large time-varying magnetic

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

field. An infinite time-varying magnetic field in turn yields an infinite electric

field that will drive an electric current, and these fields and current will be
infinitely large. This is an unstable sequence of events if it is true. Moreover, it
will generate infinite energy in the system, which is not physical. Hence, the
only possibility is for the time-varying electromagnetic fields to be zero inside
a PEC.
Thus, for the PEC, the charges can re-orient themselves instantaneously on
the surface when the inducing electric fields from outside are time varying. In
other words, the relaxation time ɛ/σ is zero. As a consequence, the time-
varying electric field E is always zero inside PEC, and therefore, n^ ×E = 0 on
the surface of the PEC, even for time-varying fields.
2. Method of images
The method of images, introduced by Lord Kelvin in 1848, is commonly used
to determine V, E, D, and ρs due to charges in the presence of conductors. By
this method, we avoid solving Poisson's or Laplace's equation but rather
utilize the fact that a conducting surface is an equipotential. Although the
method does not apply to all electrostatic problems, it can reduce a formidable
problem to a simple one. The image theory states that a given charge
configuration above an infinite grounded perfect conducting plane may be
replaced by the charge configuration itself, its image, and an equipotential
surface in place of the conducting plane. Typical examples of point, line, and
volume charge configurations are portrayed in figure.3.

Figure.3. Image system: (a) charge configurations above a perfectly conducting plane;
(b) image configuration with the conducting plane replaced by equipotential surface.

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

In applying the image method, two conditions must always be satisfied:

1. The image charge(s) must be located in the conducting region.
2. The image charge(s) must be located such that on the conducting surface(s)
the potential is zero or constant.
The first condition is necessary to satisfy Poisson's equation, and the second
condition ensures that the boundary conditions are satisfied. Let us now apply
the image theory to two specific problems.

A. A Point Charge Above a Grounded Conducting Plane

Consider a point charge Q placed at a distance h from a perfect conducting
plane of infinite extent as in Figure.4. (a). The image configuration is in
Figure.4. (b). The electric field at point P(x, y, z) is given by:
( )
( )

The distance vectors r1 and r2 are given by:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
so eq. (2) becomes
( ) ( )
, - ( )
, ( ) -
, ( ) -

Figure.4. (a) Point charge and grounded conducting plane, (b) image configuration and
field
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lines.
Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

It should be noted that when z = 0, E has only the z-component, confirming

that E is normal to the conducting surface. The potential at P is easily
obtained from eq. (2) or (5) using ∫ . thus
( )
( )

* + ( )
, ( ) - , ( ) -

for z ≥ 0 and V = 0 for z ≤ 0 . Note that V(z = 0) = 0.

The surface charge density of the induced charge can also be obtained from
eq. (5) as:
|
( )
, -

The total induced charge on the conducting plane is;

∫ ∫ ∫ ( )
, -

By changing variables, r2 = x2 + y2, dx dy = r drdΦ

∫ ∫ ( )
, -

∫ , - ( )

| ( )
, -
B. A Line Charge above a Grounded Conducting Plane
Consider an infinite charge with density ρl C/m located at a distance (h) from
the grounded conducting plane z = 0. The same image system of Figure.4(b)
applies to the line charge except that Q is replaced by ρl. The infinite line
charge ρl may be assumed to be at x = 0, z = h and the image - ρl at x = 0, z = -
h so that the two are parallel to the y-axis. The electric field at point P is given
by

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

( )

The distance vectors r1, r2 are given by:

r1 = (x, y, z) – (0, y, h) = (x, 0, z -h) (2)
r2 = (x, y, z) - (0, y, -h) = (x, 0, z +h) (3)
( ) ( )
, ( )
( ) ( )
Again, notice that when z = 0, E has only the z-component, confirming that E
is normal to the conducting surface. The potential at P is obtained from equ(1)
using ∫

( )

Substituting r1 = ‫׀‬r1‫ ׀‬and r2 = ‫׀‬r2‫ ׀‬in eqs. (2) and (3) into eq. (5) gives
( )
, - ( )
( )
for z ≥ 0 and V = 0 for z ≤ 0 . Note that V(z = 0) = 0.
The surface charge induced on the conducting plane is given by:
| ( )
( )
The induced charge per length on the conducting plane is:
∫ ∫ ( )
By letting x = h tanα

∫ ( )

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

Example-one A point charge Q is located at point (a, 0, b) between two semi-

infinite conducting planes intersecting at right angles as in Figure below.
Determine the potential at point P(x, y, z) and the force on Q.

Solution:
The image configuration is shown in Figure below. Three image charges are
necessary to satisfy the conditions. From Figure (a), the potential at point P(x,
y, z) is the superposition of the potentials at P due to the four point charges;
that is,

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Postgraduate Studies/ Advanced Electromagnetics Lectures Asst. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Al-kafaji

, -

r1 = [(x - a)2 +y2 + (z- b)2]1/2

r2 = [(x + a)2 +y2 + (z- b)2]1/2
r3 = [(x +a)2 +y2 + (z+ b)2]1/2
r4 = [(x - a)2 +y2 + (z+ b)2]1/2
From Figure. (b), the net force on Q
F = F1 + F2+ F3
( )
( ) ( ) , ( ) -

*[ ] [ ] }
( ) ( )

The electric field due to this system can be determined similarly and the
charge induced on the planes can also be found.
Note In general, when the method of images is used for a system
consisting of a point charge between two semi-infinite conducting
planes inclined at an angle Φ (in degrees), thenumber of images is
given by
( )
H.W If the point charge Q =10 nC in Figure shown below is 10 cm away from
point O and along the line bisecting Φ = 60°, find the magnitude of the force
on Q due to the charge induced on the conducting walls.
Answer: 60. 53 μN.