ENE 428

Microwave Engineering
Lecture 3 Polarization, Reflection
and Transmission at normal
incidence
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Uniform plane wave (UPW) power

transmission
from

Pavg

1
Re( E H )
2

1 Ex20 2 z j
Re
e e az
2

1 Ex20 2 z

e
cos a z
2

W/m2

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Polarization
UPW is characterized by its propagation direction and
frequency.
Its attenuation and phase are determined by mediums
parameters.
Polarization determines the orientation of the electric
field in a fixed spatial plane orthogonal to the direction of
the propagation.

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Linear polarization

Consider E

in free space,

E( z, t ) E0 cos(t z)a x
At plane z = 0, a tip of E field traces straight line
segment called linearly polarized wave
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Linear polarization
A pair of linearly polarized wave also produces linear
polarization

E ( z, t ) Ex 0 cos(t z )a x Ey 0 cos(t z )a y
At z = 0 plane

E (0, t ) Ex 0 cos(t )a x Ey 0 cos(t )a y

At t = 0, both linearly polarized waves
have their maximum values.

E(0,0) Ex 0 a x Ex 0 a y
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T
E (0, ) 0
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More generalized linear polarization

More generalized of two linearly polarized waves,

E ( z, t ) Ex 0 cos(t z x )a x Ey 0 cos(t z y )a y
Linear polarization occurs when two linearly polarized
waves are

in phase
out of phase

y x 0

y x 180 .
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Elliptically polarized wave

Superposition of two linearly polarized waves that

y x 0 or 180
If x = 0 and y = 45, we have

E (0, t ) Ex 0 cos(t )a x Ey 0 cos(t )a y

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Circularly polarized wave

occurs when Exo and Eyo are equal and

y x 90
Right hand circularly polarized (RHCP) wave

y x 90

E (0, t ) Ex 0 cos(t )a x Ey 0 cos(t )a y

2

Left hand circularly polarized (LHCP) wave

y x 90

E (0, t ) Ex 0 cos(t )a x Ey 0 cos(t )a y

2

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Circularly polarized wave

Phasor forms:

from
for RHCP,

jx

j y

E ( z 0) Ex 0e a x Ey 0e a y

E( z 0) Ex 0 (a x ja y )

for LHCP,

E( z 0) Ex 0 (a x ja y )

Note: There are also RHEP and LHEP

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Ex1 Given
E( z, t ) 8cos(t z 30 )a x 8cos(t z 90 )a y

,determine the polarization of this wave

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Ex2 The electric field of a uniform plane wave in

free space is given byE s 100(a z ja x )e j 50 y
, determine
a) f

b) The magnetic field intensity H s

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c)

d) Describe the polarization of the wave

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Reflection and transmission of UPW at

normal incidence

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Incident wave
Normal incidence the propagation direction is normal
to the boundary
Assume the medium is lossless, let the incident electric
field to be

E1 ( z, t ) Ex10 cos(t z )a x

or in a phasor form E ( z ) Ex10e j1z a x

since

H a

then we can show that H ( z )

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E x10

e j 1 z a y
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Transmitted wave
Transmitted wave
Assume the medium is lossless, let the transmitted
electric field to be

E ( z ) Ex20e j2 z a x
then we can show that

H ( z)

Ex20

e j2 z a y

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Reflected wave (1)

From boundary conditions,

Etan1 Etan 2
H tan1 H tan 2
At z = 0, we have

E x10 E x20

and

E x10

1 = 2

E x20

are media the same?

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Reflected wave (2)

There must be a reflected wave

E ( z ) Ex10e j1z a x
and

H ( z)

Ex10

e j 1z a y

This wave travels in z direction.

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Reflection and transmission coefficients

(1)
Boundary conditions (reflected wave is included)

Ex1 Ex 2

from

Ex1 Ex1 Ex2

therefore at z = 0

Ex10 E x10 Ex20

(1)

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Reflection and transmission coefficients

(2)
Boundary conditions (reflected wave is included)

H y1 H y 2

from

H y1 H y1 H y2
therefore at z = 0

Ex10

Ex10

Ex20

(2)

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Reflection and transmission coefficients

(3)
Solve Eqs. (1) and (2) to get
Reflection coefficient

Ex10 2 1

e j
Ex10 2 1
Transmission coefficient

Ex20
22

1 e j1
Ex10 2 1
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Types of boundaries: perfect dielectric

and perfect conductor (1)
j2
2
0
2 j 2

From

Ex20 0

Since 2 = 0

then = -1 and Ex10+= -Ex10-

Ex1 Ex1 Ex1

Ex1 Ex10 e j 1 z E x10 e j 1z
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Types of boundaries: perfect dielectric

and perfect conductor (2)
E x1 (e j 1 z e j 1z ) E x10
j 2 E x10 sin( 1 z )
This can be shown in an instantaneous form as

Ex ( z , t ) 2 E x10 sin( 1 z ) sin t Standing wave

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Standing waves (1)

When t = m, Ex1 is 0
at
all positions.
and when z = m, Ex1 is 0
at all time.

Null positions occur at

z m

m1
z
2
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Standing waves (2)

Since
and

Ex1 H y1
Ex1 H y1

the magnetic field is

or

H y1

Ex10

H y1 ( z , t )

Hy1 is maximum when Ex1 = 0

(e j 1z e j 1z )
2 Ex10
.

cos 1 z cos t

Poynting vector

S EH
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Power transmission for 2 perfect

dielectrics (1)
Then 1 and 2 are both real positive quantities and 1 = 2 =
0

2 1

real
2 1

Average incident power densities

E
1
1

x1
P1i Re Ex1H y1 Re Ex1 *
2
2
1

1 1 2
Re * Ex10
2 1
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Ex3 Let medium 1 have 1 = 100 and medium 2

have 2 = 300 , given Ex10+ = 100 V/m. Calculate
average incident, reflected, and transmitted power
densities

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Wave reflection from multiple interfaces (1)

Wave reflection from materials that are finite in extent
such as interfaces between air, glass, and coating
At steady state, there will be 5 total waves
1

Incident
energy
in
-l

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Wave reflection from multiple interfaces (2)

Assume lossless media, we have

3 2
23
,
3 2
then we can show that
Ex20 23 Ex20
H

y 20

y 20

Ex20
1

x 20

23 Ex20
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Wave reflection from multiple interfaces (2)

Assume lossless media, we have

3 2
23
,
3 2
then we can show that
Ex20 23 Ex20
H

y 20

y 20

Ex20
1

x 20

23 Ex20
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Wave impedance w (1)

Ex 2
Ex20 e j 2 z Ex20 e j 2 z
w ( z )

H y 2 H x20 e j 2 z H x20 e j 2 z
e j 2 z 23e j 2 z
w ( z ) 2 j2 z
.
j 2 z
e
23e

Use Eulers identity, we can show that

3 cos 2 z j2 sin 2 z
w ( z ) 2
2 cos 2 z j3 sin 2 z

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Wave impedance w (2)

Since from B.C.
at z = -l

Ex1 Ex1 Ex 2

H y1 H y1 H y 2
we may write

Ex10 Ex10 Ex 2

Ex10

Ex10

Ex20

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Input impedance in
solve to get

Ex10
in 1

in 1
Ex10
3 cos 2l j2 sin 2l
in 2
2 cos 2l j3 sin 2l

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Refractive index
n r
Under lossless conditions,

0 0

n
r
c

0 0

n
r 0
c
vp
n
v p 0

1

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