Electromagnetic (E-M) theory of waves at a dielectric interface

u
i
u
r
u
t
n
i
n
t

n
x
y
.
z
b
i
k

r
k

t
k

i
E

r
E

t
E

While it is possible to understand reflection

and refraction from Fermats principle, we
need to use E-M theory in order to
understand quantitatively the relationship
between the incident, reflected, and
transmitted radiant flux densities:

We can accomplish this treatment by
assuming incident monochromatic light
waves which form plane waves with well
defined k-vectors as shown in the diagram.
The interface is shown with an origin and
coordinates (x,y,z).
We will consider E-field polarizations which are (i) in the plane of incidence
and (ii) perpendicular to the plane of incidence, as shown below.
) , , ( ), , , ( ), , , (
t t t t r r r r i i i i
k E I k E I k E I u u u

I
i
I
r
I
t
E-field is perpendicular to the
plane-of incidence
E-field is parallel to the
plane of incidence
Maxwells Equations for time-dependent fields in matter
0 0 = V =
c
c
+ = V
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c
+ =
c
c
= V
c
c
=
= V =
}
} }
} }
} }
B S d B
t
D
j H S d
t
D
j r d H
t
B
E S d
t
B
r d E
D dV S d D

H B E D E g j
H M M B H
E P P E D
m
o
e o



c
_

_ c
= = =
= =
= + =
1
D Displacement field
H Magnetic Intensity
P Polarization
M Magnetization
- Magnetic permeability
c - Permittivity
_
e
- Dielectric Susceptibility
_
m
- Magnetic Susc.
g Conductivity
j Current density
Summary of the boundary conditions for fields at an interface
Boundary
Side 1
Side 2
Maxwells equations in integral form
allow for the derivation of the
boundary conditions for the total
fields on both sides of a boundary.
( )
( )
( )
( ) j H H u
u B B
E E u
u D D
n
n
n
n




=
=
=
=
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 2

0
0
o
Normal component of D is discontinuous
by the free surface charge density
Tangential components of E are continuous
Normal components of B are continuous
Tangential components of H are discontinuous
by the free surface current density
For dielectrics, j = 0. Therefore, the
components of E and H that are tangent
to the interface must be continuous
across it. Since we have E
i
, E
r
, and E
t

the continuity of E components yield:
u
i
u
r
u
t
n
i
n
t

n
x
y
.
z
b
i
k

r
k

t
k

i
E

r
E

t
E

i
u o =
0
90
o
o
i i i
E E u o cos sin =
( )
t n r i n
E u E E u

= +

i i i n i n
E E u E u u o cos sin = =

Note that
( )
t n r i n
E u E E u

= +

( ) ( )
( )
t t t ot n
r r r or n i i oi n
t n r n i n
t r k E u
t r k E u t r k E u
E u E u E u
c e
c e e
+ =
+ +
= +

cos

cos

cos

Consider the expression on the interface (y = b) for all x, z and t.
The above relationship must hold at all points and at any instant in
time on the interface. Therefore
( ) ( ) ( )
b y t t t b y r r r b y i i
t r k t r k t r k
= = =
+ = + = | | | c e c e e

Since then we have

t r i
e e e = =
( ) ( ) ( )
b y t t b y r r b y i
r k r k r k
= = =
+ = + = | | | c c

Thus, at the interface plane

( ) ( )
u
c
cos . |

|| 0 |
r const r k and k k k
u k and k k u r k k
b y i r
n i r n r b y r i
= = A = A
A = =
=
=

u
k

A
n
u

r

c
o
s

u

( )
( ) ( )
t t i i t
t
i
i
t t i i
i t n t b y t i
r i r r i i i r n
n n
c c
k k
k k u r k k Also
k k k k u
u u u
v
u
v
u u
c
u u u u
sin sin , sin
1
sin
1
sin sin
0 | ,
sin sin 0
= = =
= =
= = =
=

which is again Snells Law
Case 1: E Plane of incidence
Continuity of the tangential components of E and H give
ot or oi
E E E

= +
Cosines cancel
Using H =
-1
B, the tangential components
are
ot or oi t ot
t
t
i or oi
i
i
t t
t t
i r i
i i
r i r i
t t t r r r i i i
t
t
t
r
i
r
i
i
i
E E E and E
n
E E
n
E
v
E E
v
v v and
v E B and v E B v E B Since
B B B
= + =
=
= =
= = =
= +
u

u u
u

cos cos ) (
cos
1
cos ) (
1
,
/ , / , /
cos cos cos
The last two equations give
u

cos cos
cos 2
cos cos
cos cos
t
t
i
i
i
i
i
i
oi
ot
t
t
i
i
i
t
t
t
i
i
i
oi
or
n n
n
E
E
and
n n
n n
E
E
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+

=
|
|
.
|

\
|

The symbol means E Plane of incidence. These are called
the Fresnel equations; most often
i
~
t
~
o
.
Let r = amplitude reflection coefficient and t = amplitude
transmission coefficient. Then, the Fresnel equations appear as
t t i i
i i
oi
ot
t t i i
t t i i
oi
or
n n
n
E
E
t and
n n
n n
E
E
r
u u
u
u u
u u
cos cos
cos 2
cos cos
cos cos
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
|
.
|

\
|

Note that t

- r

= 1
Case 2: E || Plane of Incidence
Continuity of the tangential components of E:
t ot r or i oi
E E E u u u cos cos cos =
Continuity of the tangential components of
-1
B:
i
t
t
t
i
i
i
i
i
oi
ot
t
t
t
i
i
i
t
i
i
i
t
t
oi
or
r i r i
ot
t t
or
r r
oi
i i
n n
n
E
E
t and
n n
n n
E
E
r
and
E
v
E
v
E
v
u

u u

cos cos
cos 2
cos cos
cos cos
;
1 1 1
||
||
||
||
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
+

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
= =
= +
If both media forming the interface are non-magnetic
i
~
t
~
o
then
the amplitude coefficients become
i t t i
i i
i t t i
t i i t
n n
n
t and
n n
n n
r
u u
u
u u
u u
cos cos
cos 2
cos cos
cos cos
|| ||
+
=
+

=
Using Snells law
the Fresnel Equations for dielectric media become
t t i i
n n u u sin sin =
) cos( ) sin(
cos sin 2
) sin(
cos sin 2
,
) tan(
) tan(
) sin(
) sin(
||
||
t i t i
i t
t i
i t
t i
t i
t i
t i
t and t
r and r
u u u u
u u
u u
u u
u u
u u
u u
u u
+
=
+
=
+

=
+

Note that t

- r

= 1 holds for all u
i
, whereas t
||
+ r
||
= 1 is only true for
normal incidence, i.e., u
i
= 0.
Consider limiting cases for nearly normal incidence: u
i
~ 0.
In which case, we have:
| | | |
( )
( )
t i
t i
i
i
r r
u u
u u
u
u
+

= ~
~
~
sin
sin
0
0
||
since 1 sin tan << ~ x x x
( )
i t t t
i
t
i t t i t i
n
n
u u u u u u u u u u cos sin cos sin cos sin cos sin sin = =
Also, using the following identity with Snells law
Therefore, the amplitude reflection coefficient can be written as:
| |
i i t t
i i t t
i t
i
t
i t
i
t
n n
n n
n
n
n
n
r
i
u u
u u
u u
u u
u
cos cos
cos cos
cos cos
cos cos
0
+

=
+

~
~
| | | | | | | |
t i
i
i t
i t
n n
n
t t and
n n
n n
r r
i
i
i
i
+
= =
+

= =
=
=
=
=
2
0
|| 0
0
|| 0
u
u
u
u
In the limiting case for normal incidence u
i
=u
t
= 0, we have :
Note that these equalities occur for near normal incidence as a consequence
of the fact that the plane of incidence is no longer specified when u
i
~ u
t
~ 0.
Consider a specific example of an air-glass interface:
n
i
= 1
n
t
= 1.5
t t i i
n n u u sin sin =
We will consider a particular angle called the
Brewsters angle: u
p
+ u
t
= 90
. tan
i
t
p
n
n
= u
=
|
.
|

\
|
=

3 . 56
1
5 . 1
tan
1
p
u
At the polarization angle u
p
, only the component of light polarized normal
to the incident plane and therefore parallel to the surface will be reflected.
u
i
u
t
External reflection n
t
> n
i
Internal reflection n
i
> n
t
External Reflection (n
t
> n
i
) Internal Reflection (n
t
< n
i
)
n
| | | |
i
t
c t t i i
n
n
n n
t c i
= =
= =
u u u
u u u
sin sin sin
90
( ) = =

8 . 41 5 . 1 / 1 sin
1
c
u
=
= =
7 . 33
5 . 1
1
tan
'
'
p
i
t
p
n
n
u
u
=
|
.
|

\
|
=

3 . 56
1
5 . 1
tan
1
p
u
1
5 . 1
= =
i
t
ti
n
n
n Consider
5 . 1
1
= =
i
t
ti
n
n
n Consider
Concept of Phase Shifts (A) in E-M waves:
( ) e A + = t r k E E
o


cos
0
) sin(
) sin(
<
+

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

t i
t i
oi
or
E
E
r
u u
u u
Since
when n
t
> n
i
and u
t
< u
i
as in the Air Glass interface,
we expect a reversal of sign in the electric field for the E

case when
. 1 t

= A =
A
for e
i
We need to define phase shift for two cases:
A. When two fields E or B are to the plane of incidence, they are said to be
(i) in-phase (A=0) if the two E or B fields are parallel and (ii) out-of-
phase (A = t) if the fields are anti-parallel.
B. When two fields E or B are parallel to the plane of incidence, the fields are
(i) in-phase if the y-components of the field are parallel and (ii) out-of-
phase if the y-components of the field are anti-parallel.
Examples of Phase shifts for two particular cases:
( )
( ) t

= A
)
`

= A
)
`

,
,
,
0 ,
,
,
phase of out
B B
E E
phase in
E E
B B
r i
r i
t i
t i




(a)
(b)
( ) 0
, ,
, ,
= A
)
`

phase in all
B B B
E E E
t r i
t r i


Glass (n = 1.5) Air (n = 1)
Air (n = 1) Glass (n = 1.5)
Analogy between a wave on a string and an E-M
wave traversing the air-glass interface.
A = 0 A = 0
A = t A = 0
Compare with the case of | | . 0 =

i or
for E u
Examples of phase-shifts
using our air-glass interface:
In order to understand these phase
shifts, its important to understand
the definition of A.
Reflected E-field orientations at various angles for the case of
External Reflection (n
i
< n
t
). It is worth checking and
comparing with the various plots for the phase shift A on the
previous slides.
Reflected E-field orientations at various angles for the case of
Internal Reflection (n
i
> n
t
). It is worth checking and
comparing with the various plots for the phase shift A on the
previous slides.
Reflectance and Transmittance
Remember that the power/area crossing a surface in vacuum (whose normal
is parallel to the Poynting vector) is given by
.
2
B E c S
o

= c
The radiant flux density or irradiance (W/m
2
) is
T T
o
o
T
E c E v E
c
S I
2 2 2
2
|
|
.
|

\
|
= = = =

c
c
c
c / 1 = v
Phase velocity
From the geometry and total area A of
the beam at the interface, the power
(P) for the (i) incident, (ii) reflected
and (ii) transmitted beams are:
t t t
r r r
i i i
A I P iii
A I P ii
A I P i
u
u
u
cos ) (
cos ) (
cos ) (
=
=
=
Define Reflectance and Transmittance:
2
2
2
2
2
2
cos
cos
cos
cos
cos
cos
2 /
2 /
cos
cos
t
n
n
E
E
n
n
A I
A I
P
P
T
R r
E
E
E v
E v
I
I
A I
A I
P
P
R
i i
t t
oi
ot
i i
t t
i i
t t
i
t
oi
or
oi i i
or r r
i
r
i i
r r
i
r
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
= =
= =
|
|
.
|

\
|
= = = =
u
u
u
u
u
u
c
c
u
u
Note that
2
2 2 2
2
2 2
,
1
2
1 1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
E n I Therefore
E
c
n E
c
c
v
E E vE I

= = = = =

c

c
c
Conservation of Energy at the interface yields:
r i r i t ot t r or r i oi i
t t r r i i
n n E n E n E n
A I A I A I
u u u u u
u u u
= = + =
+ =
,
2 2 2
; cos cos cos
cos cos cos
Therefore, T R
E
E
n
n
E
E
oi
ot
i i
t t
oi
or
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2 2
cos
cos
1
u
u
We can write this expression in the form of componets and ||:
2
|| ||
2 2
|| ||
2
cos
cos
cos
cos
, t
n
n
T and t
n
n
T r R and r R
i i
t t
i i
t t
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
= = =

u
u
u
u
1 1 ,
|| ||
= + = +

T R and T R Therefore
1
5 . 1
= =
i
t
ti
n
n
n Consider
We must use the previously calculated
values for

t t r r , , ,
|| ||
( )
( )
1
4 2
4
, 0
2
2 2
2
||
2
||
=
+
+ +
= +
+
= = =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+

= = = =

i t
i t i i t t
i t
i t
i t
i t
i
n n
n n n n n n
T R
n n
n n
T T T and
n n
n n
R R R When u
Its possible to verify for the special case of normal incidence:
Consider the case of Total Internal Reflection (TIR):
t t i i
n n u u sin sin =
5 . 1
1
= =
i
t
ti
n
n
n Consider
u
t
u
i
n
t
= 1
n
i
= 1.5
| |
=
= = =
8 . 41
5 . 1
1
sin , 90
c
i
t
i t
n
n
When
c
u
u u
u