Dielectrics and standing waves

[gildomar]

How do dielectrics affect the number of modes for standing electromagnetic waves in a box?

 

[berkeman]

How do dielectrics affect the number of modes for standing electromagnetic waves in a box?

What are your thoughts? How does the presence of a dielectric affect the wavelength of the EM in the metallic reflecting box?

 

[gildomar]

What are your thoughts? How does the presence of a dielectric affect the wavelength of the EM in the metallic reflecting box?

I suspect that it doesn't, since a dielectric shouldn't affect the null field value for standing waves at the boundaries. I just wanted to confirm if my thinking was right.

 

[nasu]

How do dielectrics affect the number of modes for standing electromagnetic waves in a box?

What do you mean by "the number of"? Is there a finite number of modes? Or you mean the number density (per frequency interval, forexample)?

 

[gildomar]

What do you mean by "the number of"? Is there a finite number of modes? Or you mean the number density (per frequency interval, forexample)?

What I mean is that I was reading that for an idealized box, that the waves have nodes at the edges of the box, but that when dielectrics are used, it can make the edge of the box "fuzzy" in regards to the wavelengths that can fit inside. I'm just trying to get a better handle on the how and why.