1. Notes 17 ECE 6340 Intermediate EM Waves Fall 2016
Prof. David R. Jackson
Dept. of ECE
Notes 17

2. The wavenumber terms may be complex.
General Plane Waves
General form of plane wave:
The wavenumber terms may be complex.
where
Helmholtz Eq.:
Property of vector Laplacian:
Hence so

3. General Plane Waves (cont.)
This gives or
(separation equation or wavenumber equation)

4. General Plane Waves (cont.)
Denote
Then
and
(wavenumber equation)
Note: For complex k vectors, this is not the same as saying that the magnitude of the k vector is equal to k.

5. General Plane Waves (cont.)
We can also write
Wavenumber vector so
The  vector gives the direction of most rapid phase change (decrease).
The  vector gives the direction of most rapid attenuation.
To illustrate, consider the phase of the plane wave:
Similarly,

6. General Plane Waves (cont.)
A general plane wave: y x z
In the most general case, all three vectors may be in different directions.

7. Symbol for a plane wave:
General Plane Waves (cont.)
Symbol for a plane wave:
In the most general case, the k vector may be complex. In this case it is not possible to actually visualize it as vector in 3D space. The blue arrow is still used as a symbol for the k vector. y x z

8. General Plane Waves (cont.)
Next, look at Maxwell’s equations for a plane wave:
Hence

9. General Plane Waves (cont.)
Summary of Maxwell’s curl equations for a plane wave:

10. General Plane Waves (cont.)
Gauss law (divergence) equations:
Reminder: The volume charge density is zero in the sinusoidal steady state for a homogeneous source-free region.

11. General Plane Waves (cont.)
Furthermore, we have from Faraday’s law
Dot multiply both sides with E.

12. General Plane Waves (cont.)
Summary of dot products:
Note:
If the dot product of two vectors is zero, we can say that the vectors are perpendicular for the case of real vectors.
For complex vectors, we need a conjugate (which we don’t have) to say that the vectors are “orthogonal”.

13. Power Flow

14. Note:  is assumed to be real here.
Power Flow (cont.) so
Note:  is assumed to be real here.
Use
so that
and hence

15. Power Flow (cont.) Assume E0 = real vector.
(The same conclusion holds if it is a real vector times a complex constant.)
(All of the components of the vector are in phase.)
Note: This conclusion also holds if k is real,
or is a real vector times a complex constant.
Hence

16. Power Flow (cont.) The power flow is: so (assuming that  is real)
Recall:

17. Power flows in the direction of  .
Power Flow (cont.)
Then
Power flows in the direction of  .
Assumption:
Either the electric field vector or the wavenumber vector is a real vector times a complex constant.
(This assumption is true for most of the common plane waves.)

18. Direction Angles z  y f x The direction angles (, f) are defined by:
First assume k = real vector (so that we can visualize it) and the medium is lossless (k is real): y x f  z
The direction angles (, f) are defined by:
Note:

19. Direction Angles (cont.)
From the direction angle equations we have:
Even when (kx , ky , kz) become complex, and k is also complex, these equations are used to define the direction angles, which may be complex.

20. Homogeneous Plane Wave
Definition of a homogenous (uniform) plane wave:
(, f) are real angles
In the general lossy case (complex k):
where

21. Homogeneous Plane Wave (cont.)
Hence we have
The phase and attenuation vectors point in the same direction.
The amplitude and phase of the wave are both constant (uniform) in a plane perpendicular to the direction of propagation.
Note: A simple plane wave of the form  = exp (-j k z) is a special case, where  = 0. y x z
Note:
A homogeneous plane wave in a lossless medium has no  vector:

22. Infinite Current Sheety x z
An infinite surface current sheet at z = 0 launches a plane wave in free space.
Plane wave
Assume
The vertical wavenumber is then given by

23. Infinite Current Sheet (cont.)
Part (a): Homogeneous plane wave
We must choose
Then y x z
Power flow

24. Infinite Current Sheet (cont.)
Part (b) Inhomogeneous plane wave
The wave is evanescent in the z direction.
We must choose
Then

25. Infinite Current Sheet (cont.)y z x 
Power flow
(in xy plane) so so
Note:
Another possible solution is the negative of the above angle. The inverse cosine should be chosen so that sin is correct (to give the correct kx and ky ): sin > 0.

26. Propagation Circle Propagating waves: ky k0 kx Evanescent Propagating
(outside circle)
Propagating
(inside circle)
Free space acts as a “low-pass filter.”

27. Radiation from Waveguidez y WG
PEC Ey x y b a

28. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Fourier transform pair:

29. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Hence

30. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Hence
Next, define
We then have

31. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Solution:
Note: We want
outgoing waves only.
Hence y
Power flow
(Homogeneous)
(Inhomogeneous)

32. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Fourier transform of aperture field:

33. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Note:
Hence
For Ez we have
This follows from the mathematical form of Ey as an inverse transform.

34. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Hence
In the space domain, we have

35. Radiation from Waveguide (cont.)
Summary (for z > 0)

36. Some Plane-Wave “” Theorems
(always true)
Theorem #2
If PW is homogeneous:
(lossy medium)
(lossless medium)
Theorem #3
If medium is lossless:

37. Find H and compare its magnitude with that of E.
Example
Example
Plane wave in free space
Given:
Note: It can be seen that
Find H and compare its magnitude with that of E.
Verify theorems 1 and 3.

38. Example (cont.) so

39. Example (cont.)
Hence
Note: The field magnitudes are not related by 0 !

40. Example (cont.)
Verify:
(Theorem #1)
At the origin ( = 1) we have:

41. Example (cont.)
Verify:
(Theorem #3)
Hence