Latest Module Specifications
Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026
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Description The aim of the course is to develop a knowledge and understanding of a wide range of electromagnetic wave phenomena by solving, with appropriate physical insight, Maxwell's equations in particular circumstances, e.g. dielectrics, conducting media, waveguides, antenna behaviour, The module will also introduce radiation and radiating systems and study the dynamics of charged particles in electromagnetic fields. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Learning Outcomes 1. State and manipulate Maxwell's and Fresnel's equations. 2. Solve Maxwell's equations to find plane wave solutions in vacuum, isotropic dielectrics, conducting media, planar, rectangular and cylindrical waveguides. 3. Calculate the electromagnetic radiation from localised charges which move arbitrarily in time and space, taking into account retardation effects and account for the underlying approximations and assumptions. 4. Calculate the scattering of electromagnetic radiation by atoms and molecules. Explain the physics of Thompson and Rayleigh scattering. 5. Use the techniques of electromagnetism and vector analysis to solve numerical problems. 6. The student will have an awareness of ethical issues in relation to plagiarism | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml |
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Indicative Content and Learning Activities
Lecture Series: Microscopic Maxwell's Equations (MEs) Review of Electrostatics, Magnetostatics; Coulomb's and Biot-Savart laws, Faraday's and Ampere's Law. Maxwell's Equations for Static fields. Derivation of (microscopic) Maxwell's equations in differential form for dynamic fields. Integral form of MEs. Charge-density current continuity equation. Charge and flux density. Lorentz force and mechanical effects of a point charge in an electromagnetic field; Electromagnetic energy and Poynting vector; Conservation of electromagnetic and mechanical energy. Lecture Series: Maxwell's Equations in vacuum I - Monochromatic Plane waves Lecture Series: Maxwell's Equations in vacuum I - Monochromatic Plane waves. Wave equation and radiation; general plane waves as solutions of the (vacuum) wave-equation in an unbounded domain; Monochromatic plane waves; Algebraic MEs. Plane waves in the k-space Electromagnetic energy and momentum density, Radiation flux, intensity radiation. Linearly, circularly and elliptically polarized EM waves. Lecture Series: Maxwell's Equations in vacuum II - Wavepackets Superposition principle and plane wave expansions; EM wave-packets. Total energy and momentum, standing waves, wave-packet propagation, total energy and momentum; Fourier-expansions, bandwidth, phase and group velocity of wavepackets; Lecture Series: Macroscopic MEs Macroscopic form of the MEs; electric and magnetic material constants. EM wave equation in unbounded materials; Dielectric and conducting (linear-isotropic-uniform) materials. Electric displacement and Magnetic induction fields; Energy flux density and Poynting vector in materials; Radiation pressure. Boundary conditions at interfacing materials; Lecture Series: Radiation and simple materials I - Dielectrics and Insulators Reflection (Hero) and refraction (Snell's) laws; Fresnel Equations, for p- and s-polarization. Index of refraction, impedance; power reflection and transmission. Brewster angle. Conductivity, non-dispersive conductors; the meaning of complex wavenumbers; the case of perfect and good conductors; radiation's skin depth Radiation pressure in dielectric and conducting material Lecture Series: Radiation and simple materials II Drude and Lorentz model for conductivity; Ohms'law, EM field propagation in plasma and cold metals. Plasma frequency Radiating systems; EM fields from a localized oscillating charge; the near and far (radiation) zone; electric field and dipole radiation Alternative formulation of electrodynamics in terms of vector and scalar potential fields. Learning Activities Tutorial Work: Physics: Tutorial questions are worked out on the content of the 'Lecture Series'. Maths: Vector algebra, partial and ordinary differential equations, multivariable calculus, complex arithmetics, Fourier transforms. Also: Students are provided with take-home questions and requested to work out the problems; in some cases of some more advanced problems a project is assigned (also in the context of CAs) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Indicative Reading List Books:
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Other Resources None | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||