ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY (PC-EI503)

PART II: LECTURE VI

ELECTROSTATICS BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS
POISSON’S AND LAPLACE’S EQUATION

DR. ASHMI CHAKRABORTY

DEPT. OF APPLIED ELECTRONICS AND INSTRUMENTATION
ASANSOL ENGINEERING COLLEGE
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Poisson’s and Laplace’s Equation
:
From Gauss’s ⃗
∇ .⃗
law𝐷= ⃗
∇.𝜀 ⃗
𝐸=𝜌 𝑣 and
E  V
:

.  V v
Above two equations gives  2V  v 
[Poisson’s Equation]
2V 0
For a charge free region, [Laplace’s Equation]

Laplace’s
2V 2V equation
2V in different coordinate systems is given by
2
 2  2 0
x y z
1   V  1 2V 2V
     2  2  z 2 0
    
2
1   2 V  1   V  1  V
r  2  sin    2 2 0
r r  r  r sin    
2
  r sin   
2
Uniqueness Theorem
If a solution to Laplace’s equation can be found that satisfies the
boundary conditions, then the solution is unique.
V1 solutions
To prove Uniqueness theorem we assume that there are two V2
and of Laplace’s equation, both of which satisfy prescribed
boundary condition. V1 V2
Vd V2  V1
Since they follow the same boundary condition on the
boundary. 2Vd 2V2  2V1
2 2
V V
Since,1 as per  V  0  V2 0
2 our assumption, they are different1 elsewhere,

. 2Vd 2V2  2V1 0 Vd 0

Applying Laplace operator in above equation, we get

 :
A Vd Vd
Let us assume that, .
:
. A . Vd Vd  Vd 2Vd  Vd .Vd
Therefore, applying vector identity,
2
:
 Vd 0
Since we have already found . A 
, we can Vd .Vd
write .
:
Now Divergence theorem states . Adv
v
thatA.ds
s
:
. A Vd .Vd
:
Vd .Vd dv Vd Vd .ds
v s

SinceVd 0 on boundary, and rhs of above integration is on surface (i.e.

2
Vd .Vwe
on boundary),
v
write
d dv can
v
Vd dv 0 .
Vcan
Since the integrand is everywhere positive, we d 0
write .
d V2  V1
Above equation impliesVthat is constant everywhere.
SinceV1 V2 V1 V2
at boundary, is also elsewhere. Alternatively, the
Problem:
Consider the following equivalent model of a xerographic machine.
Determine electric field above and below the surface of the
photoconductor.
Solution:
Since the region above and below the
photoconductor (except the surface of
photoconductor) is charge free we can
use Laplace equation
2
d V
2
 V  2 0 V  Ax  B
dx
A, B are integration constants.
Let us assume the potential above and
below V1 x = a V2 be and , respectively.
Therefore,
V1  A1 x  B1 for x>a
V2  A2 x  B2 for x<a
 At x = d potential is zero. Therefore,
0  A1d  B1  B1  A1d
0 0  B2  B2 0
At x = 0 potential is zero. Therefore,
Since potential is continuous at x = aA1we a  Bget,
1  A2 a
dV1 dV2
Further at x = a, s D1n  D2 n 1 E1n   2 E2 n   1 2   1 A1   2 A2
dx dx
Solving above equations for the integration constants, we get
d ˆ
: :   s   1 ax
 s aˆ x a 
E1  A1aˆ x  for a x d E2  A2 aˆ x  for 0 x a
 2 d 2   2 d 2 
1  1    1  1   
  1 a 1    1 a 1 

Exercise:
If charge density on photoconductor is assumed zero, Upper electrode is
Vkept
0 at potential
,and lower electrode is grounded then what will be field above and
Problem:
Semi-infinite conducting planes 0 at  and
 6 are separated by an
 0as
infinitesimal insulatingV gap, V If
 0shown.   6  100 V
and ,
calculate V and E in the region between the planes.

Solution:
Since V depends on ϕ, the Laplace equation can be written as
2
2 1 d V d 2V
V  2 0 0 V  A  B
 d 2
d 2

Where A and B are integration constants.

Since V = 0 at  0 , we get, 0 0  B  B 0
At  0 ,V V0 . Therefore, V0  A0  A V 0
V0 600 : 1 dV V0 600
Hence, V    and E  V  ˆ
a  ˆ
a  aˆ
0   d 0 
Problem:
  10 and   6 
Two Conducting cones of infinite extent are
V   10
separated by an infinitesimal gap  
=0at r =V 0. If 6 =50 V and
, find V and E between the cones.

Solution:
Since V depends on θ so we will consider spherical polar coordinate system.
Therefore, we can write
1 d  dV  d  dV  dV
2
V  2  sin    0  sin   
 0 sin   A
r sin   d  d  d  d  d
dV A dV
V  A ln  tan  2   B  sin   A
d sin   d
 tan  2  
Now, V  1  0  0  B  A ln  tan 1 2  V  A ln  
 tan  1 
 2
  tan  2 2    tan  2 2  
Again, V   2  V0 V0  A ln   A V0 ln  
 tan  1 
 2  tan 1 2  

Therefore,

 tan  2 
ln  
 tan 1 2   tan  2  
V V0 95.1   V
 tan  2 2   0.1584 
ln  
 tan 1 2 

: 1 dV A V0 95.1
E  V  aˆ  aˆ  aˆ  aˆ V/m
r d r sin    tan  2 2   r sin  
r sin  ln  
 tan  1 2  
Exercise:
1. Two conducting plates 0f size 1 m X 5 m are inclined 45
degree to each other with a gap of width 4 mm separating
them, as shown. Determine an approximate value of the
charge per plate in the plates are maintained at a
potential difference of 50 V. Assume that the medium
between them has relative permittivity of 15.
2. A large conducting cone of angle 45 degree is placed on a
conducting plane with a tiny gap separating it from the
plane, as shown. If the cone is connected to a 50 V source,
find V and E at (-3, 4, 2). V0 100 V
3. (a) Determine the potential function for the region inside
the rectangular trough of infinite length, whose cross V0
section is shown
V V0 sin below.
7 x b ,0(b) Ifb, y a
x  and b = 2a, find the
potential at (x,y)=(a/2,3a/4). (c) If b = 2a = 2 m, find V
Figure of exercise 1

Figure of exercise 2

Figure of exercise 3
- Thank you