p34

ElectricpotentialV
Electrostaticfield‫ ܧ‬isacurlͲfreefield,soitcanbeexpressedasthegradientofa
scalarfieldVas‫ ܧ‬ൌ െߘܸ,whereVisthe“electricpotential”.
Recall:Whatwelearningradient

Remarks:
1) “potentialdifference”=workperunitchargetomoveaparticlefromatob.
2) Conceptof“potential”issimilarto“phase”or“height”:noabsolutephase
orheight.Theyneedtobedefinedbasedonareferencelevel.
3) Byconvention,wedefine

(workperunitchargetomoveaparticlefromʩ tob,whichalsorepresentsthe
“potentialenergy”atb)
NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr
 p35
We just learned electric potential V and electric field ‫ ܧ‬are related by ‫ ܧ‬ൌ െߘܸ
and V ൌ െ ධ ‫݀ ڄ ܧ‬κ . Because charge ʌ and electric field ‫ ܧ‬are also related, we can
κ
obtain relation between charge ʌ and electric potential V.
Howtorelatechargeʌ andelectricpotentialV?
Route1:Bytheelectricfieldduetoachargedistribution andV ൌ െ ධ ‫݀ ڄ ܧ‬κ
κ
¾ PotentialVduetoapointchargeatadistanceR
ோ
‫ݍ‬ ‫ݍ‬
ܸ ൌ െන ܽො · ܴ݀ ܽොோ ൌ
ଶ ோ
ஶ 4ߨ߳ ଴ ܴ 4ߨ߳଴ ܴ
¾ PotentialVduetodiscretechargesatadistanceR
Note:Valsoobeyssuperpositionprinciple

¾ PotentialVduetocontinuouschargedistributionsatadistanceR

If you know V, you can get E easily. So solving the problem from potential has the
advantage of reducing a vector problem down to a scalar problem (even though it is
a twoͲstep process.)
NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr
 p36
NumericalExample(Ulaby Ex4Ͳ7):
What is the electric field at a distance R due to an electric dipole? We did the same
problem before. Let’s solve the problem from potential. ௤ ௔ොೃభ ௔ොೃమ
‫ܧ‬ൌ െ
ସగఢబ ோభమ ோమమ
z
௤ ଵ ଵ ௤ ோమ ିோభ
ܸൌ ( െ )ሻ ൌ ( )
+q ସగఢబ ோభ ோమ ସగఢబ ோభ ோమ

d O When ܴ ‫݀ ب‬ ܴଵ ܴଶ ൎ ܴଶ ܴଶ െ ܴଵ ൎ ݀ܿ‫ߠݏ݋‬
Ͳq
ܸൎ

Then,theelectricfieldisobtainedby‫ ܧ‬ൌ െߘܸ (in

sphericalcoordinate)as
௤ௗ
‫ܧ‬ൎ 2 cos ߠܽොோ ൅ sin ߠܽොఏ
ସగఢబ ோ య

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 p37
ఘ
Route2:ByGauss’slawߘ ‫ ڄ‬E ൌ and‫ ܧ‬ൌ െߘܸ
ఢబ

ߘ‫ڄ‬Eൌ
డమ డమ డమ
ൌെ ൅ ൅ ܸൌ
డ௫ మ డ௬ మ డ௭ మ
ఘ
ߘଶܸ ൌ െ called“Poisson’sequation”
ఢబ
ଶ
If ߩ ൌ 0,ߘ ܸ ൌ 0 called“Laplace’sequation”
Poisson’sandLaplace’sequationsareusefulfordeterminingelectricpotentialVin
regionswithboundariesonwhichVisgiven.

Summary:thethreefundamentalquantitiesofelectrostatics,ߩ, E,V,canberelated
by

ଵ ఘ ௔ො
E MethodstofindelectrostaticfieldE :
‫ܧ‬ൌ න ೡ మೃ ݀‫ݒ‬
ସగఢబ ோ ܸ ൌ െ ධ ‫݀ ڄ ܧ‬κ
௏ κ
ߘ ‫ ڄ‬E ൌ ߩ/߳଴
‫ ܧ‬ൌ െߘܸ
ߩ ߩ
ߘଶܸ ൌ െ
߳଴
V
ଵ ఘ
ܸൌ න ೡ ݀‫ݒ‬
ସగఢబ ோ
௏

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 p38
SolveelectrostaticproblemsbyPoisson’sorLaplace’sequation
We just learn some methods to solve electrostatic problems. If symmetry can’t be
used, we normally need to solve the problems by charge distributions. In many
practical cases, however, exact charge distributions are not known, and we only
know the potentials at some boundaries. To find the fields in the surrounding regions,
none of the methods we learned can be applied. In this case, we need to use
Poisson’s equation or Laplace’s equation with to solve the
problems.
ఘ
ߘଶܸ ൌ െ
ఢబ withB.C. ElectrostaticboundaryͲvalueproblems
ଶ
ߘ ܸൌ0

Aslongasthesolutionwefindsatisfies1)Poisson’s(Laplace’s)equationand2)the
boundaryconditions,thesolutionmustberightandistheonlyone.(Uniqueness
Theorem)

Inthefollowing,let’sdoafewexamplesusingPoisson’sorLaplace’sequationto
solveelectrostaticproblems.

NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr

 p39

¾ Poisson’s(Laplace’s) equationin1D
NumericalExample(D.K.ChengEx4Ͳ1):
The two plates of a capacitor are separated by d and maintained at potentials 0 and
V0. Find the potential and electric field between the plates. Assume fringing effects
are negligible at the edges.
y
V=V0 d V betweenplatessatisfies

V=0 0

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 p40
¾ Poisson’s(Laplace’s) equationin2D
Numerical Example: Consider the region enclosed on three sides by grounded
conducting planes. The plate on the right is insulated from grounded side and has a
potential f(y). All planes are assumed to be infinite in extent in the zͲdirection.
Please find the potential distribution within this region.
y
V=0 Vsatisfies
b
V=0 V=f(y) WithB.C.
ௗ௏ ௗ௏
V=0 a x Note: Ifboundaryconditionsaregivenas or ,suchBVPsarecalled
ௗ௫ ௗ௬

We can solve the PDE by “separation of variables” (SOV) and find the solution V(x,y)
್
to be ஶ
௡గ ௡గ
మ
್
೙ഏ
න ௙ ௬ ୱ୧୬ ௬ ௗ௬
್
ܸ ‫ݔ‬, ‫ ݕ‬ൌ ෍ ‫ܥ‬௡ sin ݄ ‫ ݔ‬sin ‫ ݕ‬,where ‫ܥ‬௡ ൌ బ
೙ഏ
௡ୀଵ ௕ ௕ ୱ୧୬ ௛ ௔
್

Remarks:
1) In many practical cases, we may be dealing with a set of conductors (like
capacitors) at different potentials, where Laplace’s equation occupies a very
important position in solving this type of problem.
2) Laplace’s equation is also widely seen in other fields, and is normally solved by
SOVͲ where the solution is expressed in the form of a Fourier series.
NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr
 p41

Supportinginformation:
¾ Aboutelectrostaticlens,Einzel lens:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_lens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einzel_lens
https://www.comsol.com/blogs/focusingͲonͲeinzelͲlensesͲwithͲparticleͲtracingͲsimulation/
¾ Aboutcathoderaytube:
Example of cathode ray tube (D. K. Cheng Ex 3Ͳ3): The electrostatic deflection system of a
cathodeͲray oscilloscope is shown below. Electrons from a heated cathode are given an initial
velocity u0 ܽො௭ . The electrons enter at z=0 into a region to deflection plates where a uniform
electric field െ‫ܧ‬଴ ܽො௬ is maintained over a width w. Find the vertical deflection of the electrons
on the fluorescent screen at z=L.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CathodeͲray_tube
https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/crtͲmonitorͲmodernͲgaming/
¾ Aboutmicroscopybeyondthediffractionlimit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SuperͲresolution_microscopy
https://highscope.ch.ntu.edu.tw/wordpress/?p=58567 ǀ妼孛䃼⇔⨶䈌ǁ⡀ḓ⫅ ⨶札
⹬抟婈ノ⠆䬱札⹬抟
NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr
 p42
NumericalExample(D.K.ChengEx3Ͳ7andEx4Ͳ2):
ߩ ൌ െߩ଴ 0൑ܴ൑ܾ
Find‫ ܧ‬andVcausedbyasphericalcloudofelectronswithfor
ߩൌ0 ܴ൐ܾ
andfor.

െߩ଴ ܾ

Note:IfthereisnodirectboundaryconditionforV,likewhatweseeinthisexample,wecan
ௗ௏
alsolookforboundaryconditionsfor (whichrepresentstheelectricfield),suchas“electric
ௗோ
fieldvanishesatinfinity”,“electricfieldiscontinuousatsomeboundary”,etc.
NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr
 p43
NumericalExample(D.K.ChengEx3Ͳ9):
Find‫ ܧ‬andVontheaxisofadiskofradiusbwithsurfacechargeߩ௦
z

NumericalExample(D.K.ChengEx3Ͳ10):
Find‫ ܧ‬alongtheaxisofauniformlinechargeߩκ oflengthL.
z

L
y

NTHU EE Electromagnetism 24Spr