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Lecture 4: Boundary Value Problems

Instructor:
Dr. Gleb V. Tcheslavski
Contact:
gleb@ee.lamar.edu
Office Hours:
Room 2030
Class web site:
www.ee.lamar.edu/gleb
/em/Index.htm

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

What will we learn

So far, we considered fields in an infinite space. In practice,
however, we often encounter situations when fields live in a
finite space consisting of bounded regions with different
electromagnetic properties.
We have learned that an electrostatic field could be created
from a charge distribution. The electric potential can be
obtained in terms of charge distributions via Poissons
equation.
Now, we will examine how to solve such equations in general.

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

Boundary conditions
We restrict our
discussion to a 2D
case and Cartesian
coordinates
With respect to the
interface between two
boundaries, an EM
field can be
separated into a
parallel (tangential)
and a perpendicular
(normal) components

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

Boundary conditions: normal

components
Normal components for
the displacement flux
density D and the
magnetic flux density B

Pillbox
Thickness:

Vz 0

Cross-section area s

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

Boundary conditions: normal

components (cont)
We assume that there is a charge
distributed along both sides of the
interface and has a total charge density of
s .
Electric field from the Gausss law:

Dgds Q

enc

s s

(4.5.1)

D2 n D1n s r 2 0 E2 n r1 0 E1n s
Magnetic field:

Bgds 0

(4.5.3)

B2 n B1n 0r 2 0 H 2 n r10 H1n 0

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

(4.5.2)

Fall 2008

(4.5.4)

Boundary conditions: tangential

components
Electric field: the total
work is

E gdl 0

(4.6.1)

Assume that z portions can be

neglected; two other edges:

E2t E1t Vx 0

E2t E1t
ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

D2t D1t
0

r 2 r1

(4.6.2)

Fall 2008

Boundary conditions: tangential

components (cont)
For the magnetic field, Amperes law:

H gdl I

enc

J s Vx

(4.7.1)

surface current density

Here, we again neglected integration

over the top and bottom edges.

H 2t H1t Vx J s Vx
B2t B1t
H 2t H1t J s

0 J s
r 2 r1
ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

(4.6.5)

Boundary conditions: Example

The surface current with a density
Js = 20uy A/m is flowing along the
interface between two homogeneous,
linear, isotropic materials with r1 = 2
and r2 = 5.
H1 = 15ux + 10uy + 25uz A/m. Find H2.

r 2 0 H 2 n r10 H1n H 2 x

1. Normal component:
2. Tangential component:

r1
2
H1x 15 6 A / m
r 2
5

H 2t H1t J s H 2 z H1z J y 25 20 45 A / m

3. There is no change in the y-component of the magnetic field. WHY?

H 2 6u x 10u y 45u z A / m
ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

Boundary with ideal conductor

Since the tangential electric field
must be continuous, and
accounting for the Ohms law, it
must be a tangential current
approaching infinity!
Therefore, the tangential current
density and tangential component
of E must be zero at the interface
with a perfect conductor.
Ideal conductors are equipotential.
The consequence: if we place a point charge above an ideal conductor, it will
create an electric field that would be entirely in a radial direction. Therefore, the
tangential component of E will be zero just beneath the charge. In order to satisfy
the zero tangential component requirement at the other points of the surface, we
assume that so called image charge exists inside the conductor.
ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

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Poissons and Laplaces equations

The Gausss law in differential form:

gE

v
0

(4.10.1)

Electrostatic field is conservative:

E 0

(4.10.2)

Therefore, E is a gradient of electric potential:

E V

(4.10.3)

Combining (4.10.1) and (4.10.3), the Poissons equation:

v
V
0

(4.10.4)

2V 0

(4.10.5)

If the charge density in the region is zero, the

Laplaces equation:

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

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Poissons and Laplaces equations

From non-existence of magnetic monopole:

gB 0

(4.11.1)

A vector magnetic potential such that:

B A

(4.11.2)

The Amperes law in differential form:

B 0 J

(4.11.3)

Therefore:

A 0 J

(4.11.4)

Via the vector identity, the Coulombs gauge is:

gA 0

(4.11.5)

Similarly to the Poissons equation:

2 A 0 J

(4.11.6)

In the CCS:
ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

2 Ax 0 J x ; 2 Ay 0 J y ; 2 Az 0 J z (4.11.7)
Fall 2008

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Poissons and Laplaces equations

Recall that the Laplacian operator in different CSs:

1. Cartesian:

2
2
2

V
2V 2 2 2
x
y
z

(4.12.1)

2. Polar:

1 V
1 2V 2V
V
2
2
2


z

(4.12.2)

3. Spherical:

2
1

V
1

V
1

2V 2 r 2 2
sin

r r
r
r sin

r 2 sin 2 2

(4.12.3)

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

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Poissons equation: Example

Show that the 2D potential distribution
Satisfies the Poissons equation

v 2
V
x y2

4 0

Let us evaluate the Laplacian operator in the Cartesian CS:

v
v
v 2V
2V
2V
2

; 2
; 2 0
2
x
4 0
2 0
y
2 0 z
Therefore:

2V

v 0 v
2 0
2 0
0

At this point, we derived the Poissons and Laplaces equations in 3D. Next, we
will attempt to solve them to find a potential.

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

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Analytical solution in 1D Direct integration

Calculate the potential variation
between two infinite parallel
metal plates in a vacuum.
x=0

x = x0

We assume no resistance,
therefore, no variation in y and z
directions.

V V

0
y z

(4.14.1)

Since no charges exist between plates, we need to solve the Laplaces equation:

d 2V
0
2
dx
Boundary conditions: V = V0 at x = 0; V = 0 at x = x0
ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

(4.14.2)

(4.14.3)

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Analytical solution in 1D Direct integration

The solution of the Laplaces equation will be in the form:

V C1 x C2

(4.15.1)

Here C1 and C2 are integration constant that can be found from boundary cond.

V0 C1 0 C2
C2 V0

0 C1 x0 C2
C1 V0 x0
Finally, the solution:

The electric field is:

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

x
V V0 1
x0

V0
dV
E
ux ux
dx
x0
Fall 2008

(4.15.2)

(4.15.3)

(4.15.4)

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Analytical solution in 1D Direct integration

Lets assume that there is a charge with v uniformly distributed between plates
Poissons equation:

v
d 2V

2
dx
0

v x 2
C3 x C4
The solution will be in form: V
0 2

(4.16.1)

(4.16.2)

from the boundary

conditions:

Finally:

v 02
C4 V0
V0 2 C3 0 C4

v x0 2
1

2
0 v x0 C x C
C3 x V0 2
3 0
4
0
0

0 2

x
v
V V0 1
x0 x 1
2 0V0

x0

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

(4.16.3)

(4.16.4)

V0
v x0 2
x
1
ux
1 2

x0
2 0V0
x0

(4.16.5)

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Analytical solution in 1D Direct integration

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008

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Conclusions
Steps for solving either Poissons or Laplaces equation analytically:

1. Chose the most appropriate representation of

Laplacian based on any symmetry.
2. Perform the integration of the differential equation to
obtain the most general solution for the potential.
3. Let this general solution to satisfy the boundary
conditions to find constants of integration.
Additionally, numerical methods, such as Finite Difference Method, Finite
Element Method, Method of Moments, are developed to solve Boundary
Value problems in situations where analytical solution is hard to find.

ELEN 3371 Electromagnetics

Fall 2008