Concepts in Materials Science I

Review of Electrodynamics

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

First, the Questions

What is light?
How does a butterfly get its colours?

How do we see them?

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Plan of Review
Electrostatics
Magnetostatics
Electrodynamics
Electrodynamics in Matter
Potentials
Light
And other things!

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

But first, some basics...

Vector field v(r) – a vector is associated with every
point in space
Divergence of a vector field – measure of “flux” ∇ · v
Gauss Divergence Theorem
Z Z
∇ · vdV = v · ndS
V S

Curl of a vector field – measure of “vorticity” ∇ × v

Stokes Curl Theorem
Z Z
(∇ × v) · ndS = v · dl
S L

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Electrostatics
1 q r 
Electric field of a point charge q is E(r) =
4πε0 r2 r
Force on another charge q 0 : F elec = q 0 E
A continuous distribution of charge ρ(r) (Gauss Law)
ρ
∇·E =
ε0

In electrostatics, ∇ × E = 0 (Static electric fields lead

to “conservative forces”)

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Magnetostatics
Field field of
 a line element
 dl with current I
µ0 Idl × r
B(r) =
4π r3
Force on a charge q 0 : F mag = q 0 v × B
A continuous static distribution of current distribution
j(r) (Ampére’s Law)

∇ × B = µ0 j

∇ · B = 0, ALWAYS! There are no magnetic

monopoles!

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Electrodynamics
Changing magnetic fields “produce” electric fields
(Faraday’s Law)

∂B
∇×E+ =0
∂t
Changing electric fields produce magnetic fields
(Maxwell’s modification to Ampére’s Law)

∂E
∇ × B = µ 0 j + µ 0 0
∂t

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

And, Maxwell’s Equations

In free space (ρ = 0, j = 0), God said

∇·E = 0
∇·B = 0
∂B
∇×E+ = 0
∂t
∂E
∇ × B = µ 0 0
∂t
and there was light!
Partial differential equations for six quantities (three
components each of E and B)
Solution? Not so bad as it seems!

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Maxwell’s Equations in Matter

In matter (ρf = 0, j f = 0), God said

∇·D = 0
∇·B = 0
∂B
∇×E+ = 0
∂t
∂D
∇×H =
∂t
and there was light (with a different speed!!)!
D – Electric displacement
H – Axillary field

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Material Properties
Relationship between electric displacement D and E
(P –polarisation, ε–dielectric constant (material
property))

D = ε0 E + P = εε0 E

Ferroelectricity – spontaneous P
Relationship between axillary field H and
B(M –magnetisation, χ–susceptibility (material
property))

1
H = B − M, M = χH
µ0
Ferromagnetism – spontaneous M
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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Back to Vacuum, Solution of Maxwell

Introduce potentials (φ – electric potential, A –
magnetic vector potential)

∂A
E = −∇φ −
∂t
B = ∇×A

Coulomb Guage (φ = 0, ∇ · A = 0) leaves

1 ∂ 2A
∇2 A = 2 2
c ∂t
the “Wave Equation”
1
Speed of light c = √
ε 0 µ0
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 Concepts in Materials Science I

And, out comes Light!

Look for wave like solutions A(r, t) = A0 e(ik·r −ωt)
2π
(k(= k̂) – wavevector, λ wavelength, k̂ – direction)
λ
Solution gives

ω 2 = c2 k 2 , A0 · k = 0

Fields
∂A
E = − = −iωA0 e(ik·r −ωt)
∂t
B = ∇ × A = ik × A0 e(ik·r −ωt)

Two possible polarisations; no longitudinal light waves!

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

The Spectrum

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

One More Essential Thing! Charged Particle

Hamiltonian of a charged particle (q) moving in an
electromagnetic field
FIeld described by φ(r) and A(r)
Hamiltonian
(p − qA) · (p − qA)
H(r, p) = + qφ
2m
Useful in Quantum Mechanics!
Derive the Lorentz force!

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

Colours of Butterfly...
Not really pigments! “Structural Colours”!!!

(Tayeb, Garlak, Enoch)

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And, How do we see?

Rod cells, Cone cells

Rhodopsin – Photoactive protein
And, how does Sachin hit those straight drives?

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 Concepts in Materials Science I

All good, buts lets not forget..

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Summary
Electrodynamics, Maxwell’s Equations
Material Properties
Wave type solutions
Hamiltonian of charged particles

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