Electrostatic Boundary Conditions

EE 141 Lecture Notes Topic 13 Professor K. E. Oughstun

School of Engineering College of Engineering & Mathematical Sciences University of Vermont

2012

Motivation

Dielectric Boundary Conditions

Dielectric Boundary Conditions

Let the interface separating two dielectrics with permittivities 1 & 2 directed from medium 2 into be denoted by S with surface normal n medium 1. At any point r S the electric eld vector Ej (r), j = 1, 2, on either side of the interface S may be decomposed into tangential Etj (r) and normal Enj (r) components with respect to the surface S at that point as E1 (r ) = Et 1 (r ) + En 1 (r ), E2 (r ) = Et 2 (r ) + En 2 (r ), for all r S . changes as r S varies over the interface surface S Notice that n and that this eld decomposition will then also vary as this direction changes. (1) (2)

Dielectric Boundary Conditions

Application of the integral form of Faradays law to an innitesimally small loop C in the plane of the incident and transmitted electric eld vectors about the point r S , the upper side tangent to S in medium 1 and the lower side tangent to S in medium 2, gives
b d

E d =
C a

E2 d +
c

E1 d = 0

where the contributions from the sides vanish as h 0 about S . In addition, E2 d = Et 2 , & E1 d = Et 1

in the limit as 0 on S . Hence, in this limit, Faradays law gives Et 2 Et 1 = 0, or Et 1 (r) = Et 2 (r), rS (3)

The tangential component of E is continuous across the interface S .

Dielectric Boundary Conditions

Application of the integral form of Gauss law to an innitesimally small pillbox of thickness h 0 with upper surface S1 parallel to 1 = n and lower surface S2 S in medium 1 with outward normal n 2 = n , gives parallel to S in medium 2 with outward normal n D ds =
SG S1

1 ds + D1 n
S2

2 ds = s s D2 n

where the contributions from the sides vanish as h 0 about S . Here s = s (r), r S , denotes the surface charge density residing on the interface S . In the limit as s 0, one obtains D1 (r) D2 (r) = s (r), n or Dn1 (r) Dn2 (r) = s (r), rS (5) The normal component of D changes discontinuously across the interface S by an amount given by the surface charge density s at that point. rS (4)

Dielectric Boundary Conditions

At the interface between two dielectrics with s = 0, the boundary conditions are 1 En1 = 2 En2 , Et 1 = Et 2 .

and Let E1 be at the angle 1 with respect to the surface normal n , where E2 be at the angle 2 with respect to the surface normal n 1 = arctan Et 1 , En1 2 = arctan Et 2 . En2

Dielectric Boundary Conditions

Then tan 2 = 2 Et 1 2 Et 2 = = tan 1 , En2 1 En1 1 (6)

1 tan 2 = 2 tan 1 so that 2 = Tan1

2 1

tan 1 .

Notice that 1 > 2 2 > 1 = = tan 1 > tan 2 tan 2 > tan 1

Boundary Conditions at the Surface of a Perfect Conductor ( = )

A perfect conductor may be dened as a material inside which electric charge can freely ow. In electrostatics one assumes that the charges have all reached their equilibrium positions and are now xed in space. Hence, inside a conductor the electrostatic eld intensity E vanishes and all points are at the same potential; that is, a conductor forms an equipotential. When a conductor is charged, the charges arrange themselves so that the net electric eld due to all the charges is zero inside the conductor. If a conductor is placed in an electrostatic eld, the charges temporarily ow within it in such a manner to produce a second eld that, added to the rst, results in a net zero eld inside the conductor. The eld outside the conductor is then distorted by these charges, resulting in an altered static conguration.

Boundary Conditions at the Surface of a Perfect Conductor ( = )

By Gauss law for an electrostatic eld, = E = 0 within a conductor. Hence, any net static charge on a conductor must reside on its surface. At the surface S of a conductor, the electrostatic eld intensity E(r) must be normal to S , for if it were not, there would be a tangential component of E that would cause the surface charge to ow along the surface. Hence, by Gauss law Eext (r) = s (r) , n rS (7)

denotes the unit outward normal vector to S at the point where n r S , s (r) denotes the surface charge density at that point, and where Eext (r) denotes the electrostatic eld just above the conductor surface S at that point in a medium with dielectric permittivity .

Boundary Conditions at the Surface of a Perfect Conductor ( = )

Eext(r)

=0 E(r) = 0 s(r) >0

Illustration of external electrostatic eld lines Eext (r) terminating on the surface charge with density s (r) on a conductor surface S that is embedded in a dielectric medium with permittivity .

Problems
Problem 15. Charge Q1 is uniformly distributed over a spherical surface of radius a surrounding a dielectric with permittivity 1 , and charge Q2 is uniformly distributed over a spherical surface of radius b where the dielectric permittivity is 2 for a < r < b and 3 for r > b, as illustrated. Apply Gauss law to determine the electrostatic eld in each of the spherical regions 0 r < a, a < r < b, and r > b. Show that the appropriate boundary conditions are satised at both r = a and r = b.
Q2 Q1