Lecture 2

Math basics, vector algebra, Fourier transform, wave

propagation equation, slowly varying envelope
approximation (SVEA)

1
MATH BASICS

2
 Math basics
(vector calculus)

vector scalar

=vector
vector vector
Basically can treat ‘nabla’
=scalar as a vector

=vector
vector vector

3
 Math basics

Divergence (a scalar)

vector scalar

4
Math basics

Curl

5
 Math basics

Cross product of 3 vectors

(curl of the curl identity)

A×(𝑩×𝑪) = 𝑩 𝑨𝑪 − 𝑪 𝑨𝑩
(2.1)
𝛻×(𝛻×𝑬) = 𝛻 𝛻𝑬 − 𝛻 𝟐 𝑬
vector scalar vector
scalar

6
 Math basics
Fourier Transform There is a plethora of
rival conventions on
the definition of the
Fourier transform
We will use this definition (see e.g. Weiner “Ultrafast Optics” or Keller “Ultrafast lasers”)

1 "
# *
𝑓(𝜔) = ) 𝑓(𝑡) 𝑒 !#$% 𝑑𝜔
2𝜋 !"
)
𝑓(𝜔) = ℱ{𝑓(𝑡)} = / 𝑓(𝑡) 𝑒 !$%& 𝑑𝑡 "
!# *
𝑓(𝑡) = ) 𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 #$% 𝑑𝜔
(2.2) !"

1 #
𝑓(𝑡) = ℱ !" )
{𝑓(𝜔)} = )
/ 𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 $%& 𝑑𝜔
2𝜋 !# *
𝑓(𝜔)
"
= ) 𝑓(𝑡) 𝑒 #$% 𝑑𝜔
!"

1 "*
𝑓(𝑡) = ) 𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 !#$% 𝑑𝜔
2𝜋 !"
Whatever definition you use, it should always be:

"
1
!" *
𝑓(𝜔) = ) 𝑓(𝑡) 𝑒 !#$% 𝑑𝜔
ℱ {ℱ{𝑓(𝑡)}} = 𝑓(𝑡) 2𝜋 !"

1 "
𝑓(𝑡) = *
) 𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 #$% 𝑑𝜔
2𝜋 !"

7
 Math basics
Fourier Transform
Derivatives

1 #
𝑓(𝑡) = )
/ 𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 $%& 𝑑𝜔 𝑑
2𝜋 !# ℱ 𝑓 𝑡 (
= 𝒊𝝎𝑓(𝜔)
𝑑𝑡
𝑑 𝑑 1 # 1 # 𝑑.
) $%& ) ℱ 𝑓 𝑡 (
= −𝝎𝟐 𝑓(𝜔)
𝑓 𝑡 = { / 𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 𝑑𝜔} = / 𝒊𝝎𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 $%& 𝑑𝜔 𝑑𝑡 .
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 2𝜋 !# 2𝜋 !#
new Fourier transform (2.3)
𝑑' 𝑑' 1 # 1 # 𝑑
𝑓 𝑡 = { / )
𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 $%&
𝑑𝜔} = / −𝝎𝟐 )
𝑓(𝜔) 𝑒 $%&
𝑑𝜔 (
ℱ 01 {𝒊𝝎𝑓(𝜔)} = 𝑓 𝑡
𝑑𝑡 ' 𝑑𝑡 ' 2𝜋 !# 2𝜋 !# 𝑑𝑡
new Fourier transform
𝑑.
ℱ 01 (
{−𝝎𝟐 𝑓(𝜔)} = .𝑓 𝑡
𝑑𝑡

8
MAXWELL’S EQUATIONS

9
 Maxwell’s equations
(in the medium)

𝛻6𝑫= 𝜌
E - electric field
𝛻6𝑩=0
• Coulomb’s law D - electric displacement field
• Faraday's law of induction 𝑑𝑩
• Ampère's circuital law 𝛻×𝑬 = − H - magnetizing field
𝑑𝑡
• Helmholz equation in optics B - magnetic field
• etc..... 𝑑𝑫
𝛻×𝑯 = +𝑱
𝑑𝑡

{
no free charges: ρ=0

in optics: no free currents: J=0

the material is nonmagnetic: B = μ0H

D = 𝜀) E + P
P - Polarization of the material = dipole moment per unit volume.

10
 Constants

= 1.257 x 10-6 H/m

1
𝜀2 = = 8.85 x 10−12 F/m
𝜇2𝑐 .

=3 x 108 m/c

1
𝜇) =
𝑐 ' 𝜀)

good to remember !
*!
impedance of the free space η= +!
= 377 Ω

11
WAVE PROPAGATION

12
 Wave propagation

𝛻6𝑫=𝟎
start from Maxwell’s 𝛻6𝑩=0
equations 𝑑𝑩
𝛻× 𝛻×𝑬 = − 𝐵 = 𝜇2𝐻
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑫
𝛻×𝑯 =
𝑑𝑡

𝑑𝑩 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑𝑫 𝑑' 𝑫
𝛻×𝛻×𝑬 = −𝛻× =− 𝛻×𝑩 = −𝜇) 𝛻×𝑯 = −𝜇) = −𝜇) '
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

on the other hand:

𝛻×𝛻×𝑬 = 𝛻 𝛻𝑬 − 𝛻 𝟐 𝑬 = −𝛻 𝟐 𝑬

= 0 since ∇𝑬 = ∇𝑫/𝜀 = 0 #𝑫
𝑑
𝛻 𝟐 𝑬 − 𝜇" # = 0
𝑑𝑡

13
 Wave propagation
Using
𝑑 #𝑫 𝑑 #𝑬 𝑛 # 𝑑#𝑬
𝑫 = 𝜀𝑬 𝛻 𝟐 𝑬 − 𝜇" # = 0 → 𝛻 𝟐 𝑬 − 𝜀𝜇" # = 0 → 𝛻 𝟐𝑬 − # =0 (2.4)
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑐 𝑑𝑡 #
finally get:
"
c= - speed of light in vacuum
+! * !

Useful relations:

𝐷 = 𝜀𝐸 = 𝑛' 𝜀) 𝐸 = 𝜀) 𝐸 + 𝑃 n - ref. index

𝑃 = 𝜀) 𝜒𝐸 P - polarization of a dielectric; 𝜒 - linear susceptibility,
1 + 𝜒 = 𝑛' = 𝜀 / 𝜀) relative permittivity

𝟐 N P) 𝑬
In vacuum: 𝛻 𝑬− ) ) =0 (2.5) Wave equation
O PQ - same for optics, acoustics etc..

Compact form for wave equation (u -scalar)

14
 The wave equation and plane waves

𝑑.𝑬 𝑑.𝑬 𝑑.𝑬

𝛻 𝟐𝑬 = + + is a vector equation
𝑑𝑥 . 𝑑𝑦 . 𝑑𝑧 .

for plane transverse wave propagating along z, with E -> Exy (scalar, xy plane)

$3 &3 𝑬 𝑑 . 𝐸 𝑛. 𝑑 . 𝐸
𝛻𝟐𝑬 − % 3 &( 3
=0 − =0 (2.6)
𝑑𝑧 . 𝑐 . 𝑑𝑡 .

solution for
monochromatic 𝐸 = 𝐴𝑒 $%&!$,- or 𝐸 = 𝐴𝑒 $%&.$,- A - const (can be complex)
laser radiation :

where k=ωn/c and phase velocity is ω/k =c/n

1
in fact, the ‘physical’ field for 𝐴𝑒 4560478 + 𝑐. 𝑐.
the forward moving wave is 2

complex conjugate

15
 Energy density, intensity vs. field amplitude
𝐸 𝑡 = 𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝑡, (𝐸 − 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒)

In free space In a medium

The average optical energy density and field amplitude 𝐸 are related as:

1 1
1 # 𝑈= 𝜀𝐸 # = 𝜀"𝑛# 𝐸 # (2.7)
[J/m3] 𝑈 = 𝜀" 𝐸 2 2
2

The average optical intensity and field amplitude 𝐸 are related as:

1 ' 1 1
[W/m2] 𝐼= 𝑐𝜀 𝐸 = 𝐸 ' /2𝜂) 𝐼 = (𝑐/𝑛)𝜀) 𝑛' 𝐸 '
= 𝑐𝑛𝜀) 𝐸 '
= 𝐸 ' /2𝜂 (2.8)
2 ) 2 2

η! is the impedance of the free space η is the characteristic impedance of the of the medium
"! "!
η! = #!
=377 Ω η= = η! /𝑛
#

see e.g. Salech, Teich book 16

Slowly varying envelope approximation

17
 Slowly varying envelope approximation (SVEA)

dielectric without any external sources 𝑫 = 𝜀2 𝑬 + 𝑷 = 𝜀𝑬

add a time-varying polarization that act as a source of
new components of the electromagnetic field
(perturbation polarization)
𝑫 = 𝜀𝑬 + 𝑷9:6

Plug this new D into eq. (2.4) :

𝑑#𝑫 𝑛# 𝑑 # 𝑬 𝑑 # 𝑷/0&
𝛻×𝛻×𝑬 = −𝜇" # = − # − 𝜇"
𝑑𝑡 𝑐 𝑑𝑡 # 𝑑𝑡 #

𝑑.𝐸
−𝛻 𝟐 𝑬 =− . for plane -wave approx.
𝑑𝑧

Scalar wave equation:

𝜕 W 𝐸 𝑛W 𝜕 W 𝐸 𝜕 W𝑃)*(
W − W W = 𝜇X (2.9)
𝜕𝑧 𝑐 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡 W

18
 Slowly varying envelope approximation (SVEA)

for harmonic waves, look for a solution : 𝐸 = 𝐸(𝑧)𝑒 $%&!$,- , 𝐸(𝑧) - varies slowly

small
left side of (2.9):

𝜕 .𝐸 4560478 .
𝜕𝐸(𝑧) 𝜕 .𝐸(𝑧) 4560478 .
𝜕𝐸(𝑧) 𝜕 .𝐸(𝑧)
=𝑒 { −𝑖𝑘 𝐸(𝑧) − 2𝑖𝑘 + }=𝑒 (−𝑘 𝐸(𝑧) − 2𝑖𝑘 + )
𝜕𝑧 . 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 . 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 .
+ 𝑛. 𝜕 . 𝐸 𝑛. 4560478 𝑛. .
− . . = (− . )𝑒 𝑖𝜔 . 𝐸(𝑧) = 𝑒 4560478 𝜔 𝐸(𝑧) = 𝑒 4560478 𝑘 . 𝐸(𝑧)
𝑐 𝜕𝑡 𝑐 𝑐.

[\(]) [) b
SVEA equation:
2𝑖𝑘 []
𝑒 ^_Q`^a] = −𝜇X [Q ) (2.10)

perturbation polarization
slowly varying E-filed

19
Slowly varying envelope approximation (SVEA)
for harmonic perturbation polarization moving at the same
phase velocity and having the same frequency 𝜔: 𝑃(𝑧, 𝑡) = 𝑃𝑒 $%&!$,-

+, +3 2(-,()
2𝑖𝑘 +-
𝑒 ./(0.1- = −𝜇" +( 3
$"
{$% " → (i𝜔)& -> -𝜔& }

12
2𝑖𝑘 13
𝑒 4567483 = −𝜇9 (−𝜔: )𝑃𝑒 4567483

+, 6 6 ./%
+-
= #.1 𝜇" 𝜔# 𝑃 = #./$/% 𝜇" 𝜔# 𝑃 = − #$
𝜇" 𝑃

𝜕𝐸(𝑧) 𝑖𝜔𝑐 𝑖𝜔 (2.11)

=− 𝜇X𝑃 = − 𝑃
𝜕𝑧 2𝑛 2𝜀X𝑐𝑛

perturbation polarization

20
 Comment on the choice of the complex notation

𝐸~ 𝑒 ^_Q`^a] vs. 𝐸~ 𝑒 ^a]`^_Q

[\(]) ^_O [\(]) ^_O

=− 𝜇X𝑃 []
=+ Wc
𝜇X𝑃
[] Wc

The SVEA equations (2.11) look different (but the final result should be the same)

21
 Wave propagation
Example: The Lorentz oscillator model

- -
+ +
+ +
- -

A monochromatic plane electromagnetic wave is incident on a transparent dielectric. Assume that the electrons in the
medium can be represented by Lorentz oscillators—classical charged harmonic oscillators, governed by the equation
of motion:
𝑥̈ + 𝛾𝑥̇ + 𝜔)' 𝑥 = 𝑞𝐸(𝑡)/𝑚 (2.11)

Here 𝑞 = −𝑒 and m are the charge and mass of the electron, ω0 is the fundamental frequency of the oscillator, and
γ is a damping constant associated with the loss of energy by radiation or collisions.

For a monochromatic wave 𝐸 = 𝐸𝑒 $%& we get (−𝜔' + 𝑖𝜔𝛾 + 𝜔)' )𝑥 = 𝑒𝐸/𝑚

𝑒𝐸/𝑚 The induced dipole moment = 𝑒𝑥
so that 𝑥=
(𝜔2. − 𝜔 . + 𝑖𝜔𝛾) Polarization P of the material = dipole moment per unit volume.

𝑒 ' 𝑁/𝑚
𝑃 = 𝑒𝑁𝑥 = ' 𝐸 (2.12)
(𝜔) − 𝜔 ' + 𝑖𝜔𝛾)
(N - number density of dipoles)
22
 Linear susceptibility χ(1), classical harmonic oscillator
From the definition of linear susceptibility 𝜒 (1) : 𝑃 = 𝜀2𝜒 (1) 𝐸

𝑁𝑞 ./𝑚
we get 𝜒 (1) =
𝜖2(𝜔2. − 𝜔 . + 𝑖𝜔𝛾)

1 𝑁𝑞 . (𝜔2. − 𝜔.)
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙(𝜒 (1) ) 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔(𝜒 (1) ) 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝜒 =
𝜖2𝑚 (𝜔2.−𝜔 .). + (𝜔𝛾).

1 𝑁𝑞 . 𝜔𝛾 𝑁𝑞 . 1
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔 𝜒 =− →−
𝜖2𝑚 (𝜔2.−𝜔 .). + (𝜔𝛾). 𝜖 2 𝜔2 𝑚 𝛾
at resonance 𝜔 = 𝜔&

𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙(𝜒($)) Away from resonance:

𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔(𝜒($))
1
1
𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝜒 ~ decays slow
(𝜔2 − 𝜔)
x x 1
1
𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔 𝜒 ~ 2 decays faster
𝜔2 − 𝜔
𝑥 = (𝜔−𝜔2)/(𝛾/2)
=distance from resonance 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑔(𝜒 ($) ) is negative

23
 Wave propagation
The Lorentz oscillator model

Now plug P into eq. (2.3) +,(-) ./% ./% ) 3 8/9

+-
=− #$
𝜇" 𝑃 = − #$ 𝜇" (/30/3:./;) 𝐸(𝑧)
;

+,(-) ./% )38 % )38

1) Assume ω=ω0 (resonance)
+-
=− #$
𝜇" .9/; 𝐸 𝑧 = − #$ 𝜇" 9; 𝐸 𝑧 property of the medium

+, <; %) 3 8 6 )38
à = −𝛼𝐸 where 𝛼= #$9;
= #%=; $ 9;
+-

Solution: 𝐸 𝑧 = 𝐸" 𝑒 0>-

𝐼~𝐸𝐸 ∗; 𝐼 = 𝐼" 𝑒 0#>-

24
 Wave propagation
The Lorentz oscillator model

2) Assume 𝜔2. − 𝜔. >> 𝜔𝛾 (off resonance on the lower frequency side )

+,(-) ./% ./% ) 3 8/9 1

+-
=− #$
𝜇" 𝑃 = − #$ 𝜇" (/30/3) 𝐸(𝑧) 𝜇! =
𝜀! 𝑐 &
;

12 𝜔𝜇2𝑐 𝑒 .𝑁/𝑚 𝜔 𝑒 .𝑁/𝑚

à
1-
= −𝑖β𝐸 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 β= =
2𝑛 (𝜔2. − 𝜔 .) 2𝑐𝜀2𝑛 (𝜔2. − 𝜔 .)

Solution: 𝐸 𝑧 = 𝐸" 𝑧 𝑒 0.@-

Only phase delay of the light beam;

Beam intensity ~ |𝐸" |# = 𝐸𝐸 ∗ = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡

25