Electromagnetic Theory and Photons / Chapter 1 P2205/2023/page30

2-7) The three-dimensional differential wave equation

We can write
𝜓 𝑟, 𝑡 = 𝜓 = 𝐴𝑒 𝑖[𝑘(𝛼𝑥:𝛽𝑦:𝛾𝑧)±𝑤𝑡]

𝜕𝜓 𝜕2𝜓
= 𝑖𝑘𝛼𝜓 ⇒ 2
= −𝑘 2 𝛼 2 𝜓
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥

𝜕𝜓 𝜕2𝜓
= 𝑖𝑘𝛽𝜓 ⇒ = −𝑘 2 𝛽 2 𝜓
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2

𝜕𝜓 𝜕2𝜓
= 𝑖𝑘𝛾𝜓 ⇒ 2 = −𝑘 2 𝛾 2 𝜓
𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧

𝜕2 𝜓 𝜕2 𝜓 𝜕2 𝜓
Then + + = −𝑘 2 𝜓
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦2 𝜕𝑧 2

𝜕𝜓 𝜕2 𝜓
The changing with time gives: = ±𝑖𝑤𝜓 ⇒ = −𝑤 2 𝜓
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡 2

𝑤
And since 𝑣 = then we can deduce the differential equation
𝑘

𝜕2 𝜓 𝜕2 𝜓 𝜕2 𝜓 1 𝜕2 𝜓
+ 𝜕𝑦 2 + 𝜕𝑧 2 = (36)
𝜕𝑥 2 𝑣 2 𝜕𝑡 2
Electromagnetic Theory and Photons / Chapter 1 P2205/2023/page31

In free space
𝜕2 𝐸
∆𝐸 = 𝜇0 𝜀0 (37)
𝜕𝑡 2
and 1
𝜕2 𝐵
𝑣= =𝑐
∆𝐵 = 𝜇0 𝜀0 (38) 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑡 2
Then we get: ≅ 3𝑥108 𝑚/𝑠

𝜕 2 𝐸𝑥 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑥 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑥 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑥
+ + = 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧 2 𝜕𝑡 2
𝜕 2 𝐸𝑦 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑦 𝜕 2 𝑦 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑦
+ + 2 = 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑡 2
𝜕 2 𝐸𝑧 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑧 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑧 𝜕 2 𝐸𝑧
+ + = 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧 2 𝜕𝑡 2
𝜕 2 𝐵𝑥 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑥 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑥 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑥
+ + = 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧 2 𝜕𝑡 2
𝜕 2 𝐵𝑦 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑦 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑦 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑦
+ + = 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧 2 𝜕𝑡 2
𝜕 2 𝐵𝑧 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑧 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑧 𝜕 2 𝐵𝑧
+ + = 𝜇0 𝜀0
𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧 2 𝜕𝑡 2
 Electromagnetic Theory and Photons / Chapter 1 P2205/2023/page32

2-8) Transverse EM waves

Consider a plane wave propagating in vacuum in the + direction of x-axis. The electric field intensity is a solution of
𝜕2 𝐸
∆𝐸 = 𝜇0 𝜀0 . We know refer to 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝐸 = 0 in space and since 𝐸 is not a function of either y or z then 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝐸 = 0
𝜕𝑡 2
𝜕𝐸𝑥
reduces to = 0 then 𝐸𝑥 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡 for all values of x then 𝐸𝑥 should be equal to zero.
𝜕𝑥
The EM has no electric field component in the direction of propagation. The electric field associated with the plane
wave is then transverse, we deal here with plane or linearly polarized waves, for which the direction of the vibrating
𝐸 − 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 is fixed. Thus we orient our coordinate axis, that the electric field is parallel to the y-axis, then:

𝐸 = 𝐸𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸𝑥 = 𝐸𝑧 = 0

𝜕𝐵
We know that 𝑐𝑢𝑙𝐸 = − then:
𝜕𝑡
𝑒𝑥 𝑒𝑦 𝑒𝑧
𝜕 𝜕 𝜕 𝜕𝐸𝑦
=
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥
0 𝐸𝑦 0

Then
𝜕𝐸𝑦 𝜕𝐵𝑧
=−
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑡

𝐵𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑦 are constant and of no interest at present.

The time-dependent 𝐵 − 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 can only have a component in the z-direction. Clearly then, in free space, the plane EM
wave is transverse.
Electromagnetic Theory and Photons / Chapter 1 P2205/2023/page33

Except in the case of normal incidence, such waves propagate in real material media are sometimes not transverse a
complication arising from the fact that the medium may be dissipative or contain free charge. For the time being we
shell be working with only dielectric media that are homogeneous, isotropic, linear and stationary, in which case plane
EM waves are transverse. We limit the discussion to harmonic waves and write:

𝐸𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝐸0𝑦 cos[𝑤 𝑡 − 𝑥 𝑐 + 𝜖] (39)

The associated magnetic flux density then is:

𝜕𝐸𝑦 1
𝐵𝑧 = − 𝑑𝑡 = 𝐸𝑦 (𝑥, 𝑡) (40)
𝜕𝑥 𝑐
We can write 𝑬𝒚 = 𝒄𝑩𝒛 (41)
Electromagnetic Theory and Photons / Chapter 1 P2205/2023/page34

Since 𝐸𝑦 and 𝐵𝑧 differ only by a scalar, and so have the same time dependence, 𝐸 and 𝐵 are in-phase at all points in
space and 𝐸𝑋𝐵 points in the propagating direction 𝑒𝑥 .
1
In ordinary dielectric materials (non conducting and nonmagnetic) 𝐸 = 𝑣𝐵 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑣 = (42)
𝜀𝜇0

Exercises
Ex1) A sinusoidal EM plane wave with an amplitude of 1v/m and a wavelength of 2m travels in the
+z-direction in vacuum.
a. Write an expression for𝐸 𝑧, 𝑡 if the E-field is in the x-direction and 𝐸 0,0 = 0
b. Write an expression for 𝐵 𝑧, 𝑡
Ex2) Consider the plane EM wave in vacuum given by the expression
𝜋
𝐸𝑥 = 0, 𝐸𝑦 = 2 cos 2𝜋𝑥1014 𝑡 − 𝑥 𝑐 + 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸𝑧 = 0.
2
a. What are the frequency, wavelength, direction of motion, amplitude, initial phase angle and
polarization of the wave?
b. Write an expression for the magnetic flux density.
Ex3) Write an expression for the 𝐸 and 𝐵 fields that constitute a phase harmonic wave traveling in
the + z-direction. The wave is linearly polarized with its plane of vibration at 450 to the yz-plane.
Ex4) An EM wave is specified (SI) by the following function:
104 𝑣 𝑖 1 5𝑥:2𝑦 𝜋×107 ;9.42×1015 𝑡
𝐸 = −6𝑒𝑥 + 3 5𝑒𝑦 . 𝑒 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸0 ⊥ 𝑘
𝑚
a. Find the direction along which the electric field oscillates
b. Find the scalar value of the amplitude of the electric field
c. Find the direction of propagating of the wave
d. Find the propagating number, wavelength, frequency, angular frequency and speed.