Surface impedance - Boundary condition

In summary: The surface impedance, which relates the tangential electric and magnetic fields, may change when a wave has an oblique incidence. This raises questions about the components of the fields and their relationship to the surface impedance.
  • #1
EmilyRuck
136
6
Hello!
Let a plane wave propagate towards the -y direction. It is normally incident upon the plane [itex](x,z)[/itex] (whose normal unit vector is the y-direction unit vector, [itex]\mathbf{\hat{u}}_y[/itex]): the plane represents the interface between the free space (in [itex]y > 0[/itex]) and a general lossy medium (in [itex]y < 0[/itex]).
We can say that, in general, for [itex]y < 0[/itex]

[itex]E_z = - \eta H_x[/itex]
[itex]E_x = \eta H_z[/itex]

where [itex]\eta \neq \eta_0[/itex] ([itex]\eta_0[/itex] is the free-space wave impedance); [itex]\eta[/itex] is a complex quantity which considers the losses of the medium.
This is obtained from Maxwell and Helmholtz equations. But what could happen if the plane wave is not normally incident upon the plane [itex](x,z)[/itex]?
Which field components will remain and propagate in the [itex]y < 0[/itex] region? And can we say that the interface has the boundary condition

[itex]\mathbf{\hat{u}}_y \times \mathbf{E} = \eta \mathbf{\hat{u}}_y \times (\mathbf{\hat{u}}_y \times \mathbf{H})[/itex]

?
Why only the tangential components of the field are involved in these conditions?
Thank you for having read!

Emily
 
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  • #2
Ok, I try to change the question:
The surface impedance on a conductor relates the *tangential* electric field to the *tangential* magnetic field, according to the preceeding expression. But what if a wave has an oblique incidence upon the conductor's surface? The components of the fields in the wave are not only tangential to the surface, but also normal: how are these normal components related to the surface impedance?

Emily
 

1. What is surface impedance?

Surface impedance refers to the ratio of the tangential electric and magnetic fields at the boundary of two different media. It is a boundary condition that describes how electromagnetic waves behave at the interface between two materials.

2. How is surface impedance related to boundary conditions?

Surface impedance is one of the most commonly used boundary conditions in electromagnetics. It is used to determine the behavior of electromagnetic waves at the interface between two different materials, such as a perfect conductor and a dielectric material.

3. What is the significance of surface impedance in the study of electromagnetic waves?

Surface impedance plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of electromagnetic waves at boundaries. It helps in analyzing the reflection, transmission, and absorption of these waves at the interface between two different materials.

4. How is surface impedance calculated?

The surface impedance can be calculated using the Fresnel equations, which relate the incident, reflected, and transmitted electric and magnetic fields at the boundary. It can also be calculated using the material properties of the two media at the interface.

5. How does surface impedance affect the propagation of electromagnetic waves?

Surface impedance affects the propagation of electromagnetic waves by determining the amount of reflection and transmission that occurs at the boundary between two materials. It also affects the electric and magnetic fields at the interface, which can impact the behavior of the waves as they propagate through different media.

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