Define the polarization in TE/TM modes

[Dimani4]

Hello people,

I'm a little bit confused about how to define the polarization direction for TM/TE mode.
Take a look at the TE mode picture I found in some place.

Picture1

The Cartesian system of coordinate (XYZ) here is chosen by the right hand rule.

Picture2

But how we chose the direction of magnetic field (H) and electric field (E)? If I chose it according the right hand coordinate the direction of electric field E (TE- E field perpendicular to the incidence plane i.e. in the Y direction)should be out of the plate and not into the plate (as described here in the Picture1) and the direction of the magnetic field should be exactly the opposite to the one that signed in Picture1.

Here the TM case.

Picture3

Here the situation for the E field is right (if we choose the right hand rule) but the H field again should be out of the plane and not into the plane as depicted in Picture3. And why for TE (magnetic field Hi) and TM (electric filed Ei) have the opposite directions?
Here I found another picture (Picture4) where for the TE (magnetic field B) and electric field E for TM have the same directions.

Picture 4

Please help to understand this confusion.

Thank you.

 

[Dimani4]

Sorry for erratum, but for TM case the right hand rule works as it depicted in the Picture3. If we assume the magnetic field enters to incidence plane (X) then the electric field E should be directed as it shown in Picture3. But again the question remains for the TE case (Picture1). If we choose electric field enters to the incidence plane like (X) then the magnetic field should be directed exactly as electric field for the TM case and not as described in Picture1. Isn't it?

Thank you.

 

[Dimani4]

Sorry for erratum, but for TM case the right hand rule works as it depicted in the Picture3. If we assume the magnetic field enters to incidence plane (X) then the electric field E should be directed as it shown in Picture3. But again the question remains for the TE case (Picture1). If we choose electric field enters to the incidence plane like (X) then the magnetic field should be directed exactly as electric field for the TM case and not as described in Picture1. Isn't it?

Thank you.

I think I got my mistake.
When I define the coordinates system according right hand rule to find the exact directions of the Electric and Magnetic field I should use again the right hand rule to find out the direction of the magnetic field according the formula (H=βi*Ei/ωμ) where β is the direction of propagation of our wave in the incident plane (as depicted for instance in Picture1). Then, to find out the direction of magnetic field which presenting in Picture1 we should just do cross product between the vector of the electric field Ei which as we supposed enters the incident plane (X) and direction of propagating wave. And if you do this you get the right result of the direction of the magnetic field as depicted in Picture1.
About the Picture3 (TM) the conclusions are the same. If we suppose that the magnetic field enters the incident plane the direction of electric field should be as depicted in Picture3 (if you do cross product between the β and the electric field you get the direction of the magnetic field vector should enter into the incident field).

After these conclusions I guess that the directions depicted in the Pictures4 are not right. The right directions depicted on Picture1 and Picture3.

Thank you.

 

[bstpeter]

EM waves propagate in the direction corresponding to E cross H. Hold the fingers of your right hand straight along E. Curl your fingers to align with H. The direction of your thumb will be the direction of propagation (k direction).

 

[berkeman]

EM waves propagate in the direction corresponding to E cross H. Hold the fingers of your right hand straight along E. Curl your fingers to align with H. The direction of your thumb will be the direction of propagation (k direction).

Welcome to PF.

This thread that you are replying to is 5 years old, but your reply is okay.