Exploring Excited Evanescent Waves and the Minimum Incident Angle

In summary, the question is asking for the minimum incident angle needed to excite an evanescent wave along a glass-air interface using a glass prism. This can be found by considering total internal reflection and its associated field effects.
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nmsurobert
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Homework Statement


A glass prism is used to launch an evanescent wave along a glass-air interface. What is the minimum incident angle to excite the evanescent wave?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I don't understand what the question is asking for. I have read and reread the section in my book about evanescent waves it doesn't say anything about this? what does the question mean by "excite"?
 
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  • #2
I believe they are referring to the waves that occur in the close proximity to an interface where total internal reflection is occurring (which should be a strong hint as to what sort of angle you are looking for). One might think that nothing "gets across" the barrier presented by the interface when total internal reflection is occurring, but there are very short range field effects generated there.
 
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  • #3
thats what i was thinking. we've spoken about total internal reflection and its in the context of evanescent waves in the text. thank you!
 

Related to Exploring Excited Evanescent Waves and the Minimum Incident Angle

What is an excited evanescent wave?

An excited evanescent wave is a type of electromagnetic wave that is generated when an electrically charged particle is in a high energy state. It is characterized by its short wavelength and rapid decay, and is often used in various scientific and technological applications.

How is an excited evanescent wave created?

An excited evanescent wave is created through the process of total internal reflection. This occurs when a light ray traveling through a medium with a higher refractive index reaches a boundary with a medium of lower refractive index, causing the light to be reflected back into the original medium.

What are some applications of excited evanescent waves?

Excited evanescent waves have many practical applications in fields such as microscopy, sensors, and telecommunications. They are used to enhance the resolution of optical microscopes, detect small particles or molecules in a sample, and transmit data in fiber optic communication systems.

How does an excited evanescent wave differ from a regular evanescent wave?

An excited evanescent wave is created by a specific energy state of a charged particle, whereas a regular evanescent wave is created as a result of total internal reflection. Excited evanescent waves also have a higher energy and shorter wavelength compared to regular evanescent waves.

Can excited evanescent waves be used in medical imaging?

Yes, excited evanescent waves have been used in medical imaging techniques such as total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRF). TIRF allows for imaging of very thin samples, such as cell membranes, with high resolution and sensitivity.

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