NUS/ECE

EE2011

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

1 Normal Incidence at a Conducting Boundary
Medium 1 air or dielectric medium
(1 = 0)

(1 , 1 )

Medium 2 perfect conductor

Er

k r

Hr

E2 (z ) = H 2 (z ) = 0

Ei
k i

z
Js

+++

Hi

(2 = )

z=0
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Surface current density

Surface charge density
Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Incident fields:
Ei ( z ) = x Ei 0 e

H i ( z ) = y

-j1 z

Reflected electric field:

E r ( z ) = x Er 0 e

Ei 0

H r ( z ) = y

+ j 1 z

Transmitted fields in medium 2:

e-j1z

E r 0 e + j 1 z

E2 (z ) = H 2 (z ) = 0

Boundary conditions,
n 1 E1 ( z ) E2 ( z )

z =0

n 1 H1 ( z ) H 2 ( z )
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z =0

=0

E1 ( z ) = Ei ( z ) + Er ( z )

= Js

H1 ( z ) = H i ( z ) + H r ( z )

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Note that the boundary conditions are prescribed and

cannot be theoretically derived or proved.
Note that as only one unknown Er0 is to be found, we
only need the electric field boundary condition.
Tangential
component of E1

Let,
E1|| ( 0 ) = n 1 E1 ( z ) z =0
E2|| ( 0 ) = n 1 E2 ( z ) z =0

Then,
E1|| (0 ) = E2|| (0 ) = 0
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Total electric field in medium 1:

E1 ( z ) = Ei ( z ) + E r ( z )
- j 1 z
+ j 1 z

= xEi 0 e
+ x Er 0 e
At z = 0, using the boundary condition,

E1|| (0 ) = 0 Ei 0 + Er 0 = 0
Er 0 = Ei 0

Total electric field:

E1 ( z ) = Ei (z ) + E r (z )

- j 1 z
+ j 1 z

= xEi 0 e
e
= x j 2 Ei 0 sin (1 z )
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)
Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Reflected electric field :

E r ( z ) = x Ei 0 e + j1z

Reflected magnetic field :

1
H r ( z ) = ( z ) E r (z )

=
=

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1
1

+ j 1 z

( z ) ( x )Ei 0e

y Ei 0 e + j1z

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Total magnetic field in medium 1:

H1 ( z ) = H i ( z ) + H r ( z )

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= y

Ei 0

= y

Ei 0

(e

= y

Ei 0

2 cos(1 z )

- j 1 z

- j 1 z

+e

y Ei 0 e + j1z

+ j 1 z

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Instantaneous fields:
E1 ( z , t ) = Re{E1 (z )e jt } = x 2 Ei 0 sin (1 z )sin (t )

H1 ( z , t ) = Re{H1 ( z )e

jt

}= y 2

Ei 0

cos(1 z )cos(t )

Note that both the total electric and total magnetic fields
in medium 1 are standing waves*.
By setting sin( z)=0 in E
1

1. They are to each other and 90 out of phase.

2. The electric field vanishes at z = -n/2, n = 0,1,2,
3. The magnetic field vanishes at z =-(/4 + n/2).
By setting cos(1z)=0 in H1
* See animation Formation of a Pure Standing Wave to show the making of a standing wave from
two traveling waves moving in opposite directions
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Total electric and magnetic fields in medium 1

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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Example 1
A uniform plane wave (Ei, Hi) at a frequency of 100 MHz
travels in air in the +x direction. The electric field is
polarised in the y direction. The wave impinges normally on
a perfectly conducting plane at x = 0. The amplitude of the
incident electric field is 610-3 V/m and its initial phase is
zero.
(a) Write phasor and instantaneous expressions for Ei, Hi.
(b) Write phasor and instantaneous expressions for Er, Hr.
(c) Write phasor and instantaneous expressions for E1, H1 in
air.
(d) Determine the position nearest to the conducting plane
where E1 = 0.
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Solutions
(a)

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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

(b)

(x)

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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

(c)

(d) The electric field vanishes at x = -n/2, n = 0,1,2,.Except at the boundary

surface (n = 0), the nearest null will be at n = 1. That is, x = - /2 = -1.5 m.
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

2 Normal Incidence at a Dielectric Boundary

Medium 1 air or dielectric medium

( 1 = 0)
(1 , 1 )

Medium 2 dielectric medium

k r

Hr

Ei
Hi

( 2 = 0)
( 2 , 2 )

Er

k i

Et
Ht

k t

z=0

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13

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Incident, reflected, and transmitted fields:

Ei 0 - j1z
-j1 z
Ei (z ) = x Ei 0 e
H i ( z ) = y
e

E r ( z ) = x Er 0 e j1z

H r (z ) = y

Et (z ) = x Et 0 e

H t ( z ) = y

-j 2 z

Medium parameters:

1 = 11 ,

1
1 =
,
1
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Er 0

Et 0

e j 1 z

e - j 2 z

2 = 2 2

2
2 =
2
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Boundary conditions:
E1|| (0 ) = E2|| (0 )

H1|| (0 ) = H 2|| (0 )

E1|| (0 ) = Ei 0 (0 ) + Er 0 (0 ),
H1|| (0 ) =

Ei 0 (0 )

Er 0 (0 )

E2|| (0 ) = Et 0 (0 )
,

H 2|| (0 ) =

Et 0 (0 )

The boundary conditions lead to:

Ei 0 Er 0 Et 0
Ei 0 + Er 0 = Et 0

Solving for Er0 and Et0,

2 1
Er 0 =
Ei 0
2 + 1
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22
Et 0 =
Ei 0
2 + 1
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Define:
Er 0 2 1
Reflection coefficient, =
=
Ei 0 2 + 1
Et 0
2 2
Transmission coefficient, =
=
Ei 0 2 + 1

Note:

1+ =

1
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Using and , the field expressions in the media can be

expressed in terms of the incident field amplitude Ei0:

Incident

Ei (z ) = x Ei 0 e

-j1 z

Reflected E r ( z ) = x Ei 0 e
Transmitted Et (z ) = x Ei 0 e

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j1 z

-j 2 z

17

H i ( z ) = y

Ei 0

H r ( z ) = y

- j 1 z

Ei 0

j1 z

Ei 0 - j z
H t ( z ) = y
e
2
2

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Power Density Relationship

Reflected power density, Sr

1
= Re {Er ( z ) H*r ( z )}
2
1 Ei 0
=
2 1

1
2 Ei 0

= Re ( z )

1
2

= incident power density

1 Ei 0
= incident power density
2 1

reflected power density

=
= fraction of power reflected
incident power density
2

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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Transmitted power density, St

1
= Re {Et ( z ) H*t ( z )}
2

1
= Re z
2

Ei 0

2
2

1 1 Ei 0
=
2 2 1
2 1
=
incident power density
2
2

1 transmitted power density

=
= fraction of power transmitted
incident power density
2
2

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19

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Since the media are lossless,

Fraction of reflected power + Fraction of transmitted power = 1
That is,

1
+
=1
2
2

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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Total average power density in medium 1, S1

1
= Re {E1 ( z ) H1* ( z )}
2
1
= Re Ei ( z ) + Er ( z ) H*i ( z ) + H*r ( z )
2
1
1
*
= Re {Ei ( z ) H i ( z )} + Re {Er ( z ) H*r ( z )}
2
2

Ei 0

21

= 1

Ei 0
21

) incident power density

= transmitted power density

1
=
incident power density
2
2

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21

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Total electric field in medium 1:

E1 ( z ) = Ei (z ) + E r ( z ) = x Ei 0 e-j1z + x Er 0 e j1z

(
)
[(1 + )e + (e e )]
[(1 + )e + j2 sin( z )]
[e + j 2 sin( z )]

= x Ei 0 e- j1z + e j1z
= x Ei 0
= x Ei 0
= x Ei 0

- j 1 z

j 1 z

- j 1 z

- j 1 z

travelling wave
(amplitude: Ei 0 )

- j 1 z

|E1|

standing wave
(amplitude: 2Ei 0 )

The total electric field in medium 1 has local maximum and

minimum values but does not go to zero at any location.
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Computer Animation of a Standing Wave

See animation Standing Wave (with Different Reflection
Coefficients) to show the making of a general standing wave from
two traveling waves with different amplitudes (A1 and A2) moving
in opposite directions.

Total resultant wave = E1 ( z ) = x Ei 0 e-j1z + x Er 0 e j1z

= x A1e- j1z + x A 2e j1z
= Er 0 / Ei 0 = A2/A1 = reflection coefficient
Note that inside the website you can change the ratio of A2/A1 (i.e.,
the reflection coefficient) to investigate the effect on the resultant
standing wave.
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Total magnetic field in medium 1:

H1 ( z ) = H i ( z ) + H r ( z )
= y

Ei 0

(e

= y

Ei 0

([ 1 + )e- j z (e j z + e- j z )]

= y

Ei 0

[e

1
1
1

- j 1 z

e j1z
1

- j 1 z

)
1

2 cos(1 z )

Note: The total fields in medium 2 are the transmitted

waves and they are pure travelling waves.
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

= e j

Maxima and minima of EM fields:

(
)
(1 + e e )
[1 + e ( ) ]

-j1 z
j2 1 z

E1 ( z ) = xEi 0 e 1 + e

E1 ( z ' ) = x Ei 0 e j1z '

j - j2 1 z '

= x Ei 0 e j1z '

H1 ( z ) = y

Ei 0 e-j1z

H1 ( z ' ) = y
= y
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Ei 0 e

- j 2 1 z '

(1 e )

j 1 z '

Ei 0 e j1z '

25

z' = z

j2 1 z

(1 e

j - j2 1 z '

[1 e (

- j2 1 z ' )

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

E1 ( z ' ) = Ei 0 1 + e-j(2 1z ' )

H1 ( z ' ) =

magnitude

Ei 0

1 e-( j2 1z ' )

E1 achieves a maximum at zM when e-j(2 1z ' M ) = 1 such that:

E1 ( z' M ) = Ei 0 1 +

That is, when:

2 1 z ' M = 2n ,
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n = 0,1,2,"
Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

If the media are lossless, 1 and 2 are both real.

2 1 > 0,
=

2 + 1 < 0,

when
when

= 0,
= e
= ,
j

when
when

2 > 1
2 < 1
2 > 1
2 < 1

Therefore,
21 z 'M = 2n ,

21 z 'M = ( 2n + 1) ,
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27

when
when

2 > 1
2 < 1
Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

E1 achieves a minimum at zm when e-j(2 1z 'm ) = 1 such that:

E1 ( z' m ) = Ei 0 1

Using the same analysis as for the maximum position,

21 z 'm = ( 2n + 1) ,

21 z 'm = 2n ,

when
when

2 > 1
2 < 1

H1s maxima and minima are opposite to those of E1s.

All the maxima and minima are summarized in the
following Table.
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Table for positions of the maxima and

minima of the EM field in medium 1

Note that : E1 max = Ei 0 (1 +

E1 min = Ei 0
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)
(1 )

|E1|max

29

|E1|min
z

zM

zm 0

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

The ratio of |E1|max to |E1|min is called the standing wave

ratio S:
S=

E1 max
E1 min

1+
=
1

S 1
=
S +1

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30

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Example 2
A beam of yellow light with a wavelength of 0.6 m is
normally incident from air (z > 0) on to a glass (z < 0) . If
the glass surface is at the plane z = 0 and the relative
permittivity of glass is 2.25, determine:
(a) the locations of the electric field maxima in medium
1 (air),
(b) the fraction of the incident power transmitted into
the glass medium.

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31

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Solutions
(a) We determine the medium parameters,

1
0 ~
=
120 ( )
1 =
1
0
2
0 1 ~ 120
=

= 80 ( )
2 =
2
0 r
2.25
2 1 80 120
=
= 0.2
=
2 + 1 80 + 120
2 2
160
=
= 0.8
=
2 + 1 80 + 120
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32

Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission

NUS/ECE

EE2011

Electric-field magnitude is a maximum at (with < 0):

z' M =

+n

(n = 0,1,2,...)

4
2
with 1 = 0.6 m

(b) The fraction of the incident power transmitted into

the glass medium is
Note : Pavi Pav1
i 2
i 2
E0
E0
Pav2
2 1
2
2 120

=
= 0 .8
= 0.96
=
/
2
Pavi
80
22 21

Pav2
2
2
Alternatively,
= 1 = 1 (0.2 ) = 0.96 or 96%
Pavi
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Plane Wave Reflection and Transmission