A3.5 B3.3

Electromagnetism
Part II, 2004

(i) State Maxwell's equations and show that the electric field E\mathbf{E} and the magnetic field B\mathbf{B} can be expressed in terms of a scalar potential ϕ\phi and a vector potential A\mathbf{A}. Hence derive the inhomogeneous wave equations that are satisfied by ϕ\phi and A\mathbf{A} respectively.

(ii) The plane x=0x=0 separates a vacuum in the half-space x<0x<0 from a perfectly conducting medium occupying the half-space x>0x>0. Derive the boundary conditions on E\mathbf{E} and B\mathbf{B} at x=0x=0.

A plane electromagnetic wave with a magnetic field B=B(t,x,z)y^\mathbf{B}=B(t, x, z) \hat{\mathbf{y}}, travelling in the xzx z-plane at an angle θ\theta to the xx-direction, is incident on the interface at x=0x=0. If the wave has frequency ω\omega show that the total magnetic field is given by

B=B0cos(ωxccosθ)exp[i(ωzcsinθωt)]y^\mathbf{B}=B_{0} \cos \left(\frac{\omega x}{c} \cos \theta\right) \exp \left[i\left(\frac{\omega z}{c} \sin \theta-\omega t\right)\right] \hat{\mathbf{y}}

where B0B_{0} is a constant. Hence find the corresponding electric field E\mathbf{E}, and obtain the surface charge density and the surface current at the interface.