Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Frequency Dispersion: Dielectrics, Conductors, and Plasmas

Carlos Felipe Espinoza Hernandez

Professor: Jorge Alfaro

Instituto de Fsica
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile

1/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Contents

1 Simple Model for ()

2 Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption

3 Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

4 High-Frequency Limit, Plasma Frequency

5 Example: Liquid Water

2/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Simple Model for ()

3/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Simple Model for ()

Electron of charge e bound by a harmonic force to an atom, and acted on

by an electric field

Equation of motion:

h i
m ~x + ~x + 02~x = e E
~ (~x , t) (1)

4/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

If the field varies harmonically in time with frequency .

~
E ~ e it
E (2)
it
~x ~x0 e (3)

Dipole moment contributed by one electron:

e2 2 2 2
~ = e (0 ) + i E ~
~p = e~x = E (4)
m(02 2 i) m (02 2 )2 + 2 2

Difference of phase between the electric field and the dipole moment:

 
1
= tan 2
(5)
0 2

5/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Atomic contribution to the dielectric constant for N molecules per unit

volume, fj electrons per molecule with binding frequency j and damping
constan j :

() e2 X fj
= 1 + e = 1 + N 2
(6)
0 0 m (j 2 ij )
j

6/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Anomalous Dispersion and Resonant

Absorption

7/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Anomalous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption

In a dispersive medium, the wave equation for the electric field reads

~
2E
~ = 0
2 E (7)
t 2
it admits plane wave solutions

~ (z, t) = E~0 e i(kzt)

E (8)

with the complex wave number

k= 0  (9)

8/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

We can write the wave number in terms of this real and imaginary parts

k =+i (10)
2
and the electric field becomes

~ (z, t) = E~0 e 2 z e i(zt)

E (11)

Intensity proportional to E 2 (to e z ), is called the absorption

coefficient.
c
Index of refraction: n =

9/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

() e2 X fj
=1+N 2
0 0 m (j 2 ij )
j

The damping constants j are

generally small compared with
the resonant frequencies j .
Normal dispersion region is
associated with the increase of
Re() with .
Anomalous dispersion (resonant
absorption) is where the
imaginary part of  is
appreciable, and that represents
dissipation of energy.
10/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric

Conductivity

11/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

() e2 X fj
=1+N 2
0 0 m (j 2 ij )
j

Fraction f0 of electrons per molecule free (0 = 0)

Ne 2 f0 Ne 2 f0
() = b () + 2
= b () + i (12)
m i0 m (0 i)

12/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Maxwell-Ampere equation: ~ = ~J +
~ H D
t

Assuming medium obbeys Ohms law: ~J = E

~, D~ = b E
~

~ = i b + i E
 
~ H ~ (13)

~ = ()E
Assuming all the properties due the medium: D ~

~ = i()E
~ H
~ (14)

13/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

By comparison we get the electric conductivity (model of Drude)

f0 Ne 2
= (15)
m(0 i)

The dispersive properties of the medium can be attributed as well to a

complez dielectric constant, as to a frequency-dependent conductivity and a
dielectric constant.

14/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

High-Frequency Limit, Plasma

Frequency

15/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

High-Frequency Limit, Plasma Frequency

() e2 X fj
=1+N 2
0 0 m (j 2 ij )
j

At frequencies far above the highest resonant frequency

() p2
1 2 (16)
0

NZe 2
where p = is called the plasma frequency of the medium.
0 m

16/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

The wave number is given by

q
ck = 2 p2 (17)

In dielectric media, the approximation holds only for 2 >> p2 .

In plasmas, the electrons are free and the damping force is negligible, so
the approximation holds over a wide range of requencies, including
< p .

In conductors, the approximation holds for frequencies >> 0 and the

behavior of incident waves for << p is similar to the behavior for
plasma

17/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Example: Liquid Water

18/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

19/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

20/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

21/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Bibliography

1 J. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics. Chapter 7.5

2 D. Griffiths, Indtroduction to Electrodynamics. Chapter 9.4

22/23
Contents Simple Model for () Anomolous Dispersion and Resonant Absorption Low-Frequency Behavior, Electric Conductivity

Thank You

23/23