Calendar

The calendar below provides information on the course's lecture (L), recitation (R), and quiz (Q) sessions.

Buy at Amazon H/M = Haus, Hermann A., and James R. Melcher. Electromagnetic Fields and Energy. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1989. ISBN: 9780132490207.

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
I. Maxwell's equations
R1 Review of vector and integral calculus; cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinate systems; ej(ωt-kz) complex notation; gradient, curl, and divergence Problem set 1 out
L1

Coulomb-Lorentz force law; Maxwell's equations in integral form; simple electric and magnetic field solutions using Gauss' and Ampere's laws for point, line, and surface charges and currents; superposition; simple cylindrical and spherical source problems

Demos: H/M 10.2.1 - Edgerton's Boomer

 
R2 Simple problems using superposition and integral forms of Gauss' and Ampere's laws with simple spatial distributions of volume charge density and volume current density  
L2 Derive boundary conditions; apply boundary conditions to surface charge and surface current problems Problem set 2 out
R3 Boundary condition problems, e.g., perfectly conducting sphere or cylinder surrounding point or line charge or line current Problem set 1 due
L3

Divergence and Stokes' theorems; Maxwell's equations in differential form; electroquasistatics and magnetoquasistatics (MQS); potential and the gradient operator

Demo: H/M 10.0.1 nonuniqueness of voltage in an MQS system

 
R4 Problem solutions using differential form of Maxwell's equations: surface and volume charged or current carrying planar layer, cylinder and sphere  
L4 The electric field, electric scalar potential, and the gradient; Poisson's and Laplace's equations; potential of point charge; Coulomb superposition integral Problem set 3 out
R5 The electric dipole (potential and electric field); simple problems using the Coulomb superposition integral (line charge, ring of line charge, disk of surface charge) Problem set 2 due
L5 Method of images  
R6 Method of images problems with planes, cylinders, and spheres  
L6

Media: dielectric, conducting, and magnetic constitutive laws; charge relaxation

Demos: H/M 6.6.1 artificial dielectric; 9.4.1 measurement of B-H characteristic (magnetic hysteresis loop)

Problem set 4 out
R7

Capacitance, resistance, inductance, and charge relaxation problems in cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical geometries

Demo: H/M 7.7.1 relaxation of charge on particle in ohmic conductor (video); supplement: Kelvin's water dynamos (video)

Problem set 3 due
L7 Conservation of charge boundary condition; maxwell capacitor; magnetic dipoles and circuits; reluctance  
II. Plane waves
L8 Wave equation; Poynting's theorem  
R8

Sinusoidal steady state; normal incidence on a perfect conductor and a dielectric

Demo: plane wave movies

 
L9 Oblique incidence on a perfect conductor; transverse magnetic (TM) waves with oblique incidence on lossless media described by ε and µ; reflection and transmission; transverse electric (TE) waves with oblique incidence on lossless media Problem set 5 out
R9

Snell's law: brewster and critical angles; effects of ohmic loss; skin-depth

Demo: laser and prism Brewster's angle, critical angle

Problem set 4 due
R10 Lasers; applications to optics: polarization by reflection; totally reflecting prisms; fiber optics-straight light pipe, bent fiber  
R11 Lasers; optical devices

Problem set 5 due

Problem set 6 out

III. Transmission lines and waveguides
L10

Parallel plate transmission lines; wave equation; sinusoidal steady state

Demo: H/M 13.1.1 visualization of standing waves

 
R12 Transmission line sinusoidal steady state problems with short circuit, open circuit, and loaded ends; short-line limits as circuit approximations to capacitors and inductors  
L11

Gamma plane; Smith chart; voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR); λ/4 transformer

Demo: V(z,t), I(z,t) movies

 
R13 Quiz 1 review  
Q1 Quiz 1  
R14 Impedance and VSWR problems using the Smith chart; single-stub tuner  
L12

Wave equations (lossless); transient waves on transmission lines

Demo: H/M 14.4.1 transmission line matching, reflection, and quasistatic charging

Problem set 7 out
R15

Transient wave driven and initial value problems

Demo: transient wave movies

Problem set 6 due
L13 Reflections from ends; driven and initial value problems  
R16

Waveguide fields; surface charge and current; calculation and sketching of electric and magnetic field lines

Demo: show plots of electric and magnetic field lines for various waveguide modes

 
L14 Rectangular waveguides; TM and TE modes; cut-off Problem set 8 out
R17 Cavity resonators; group and phase velocity; dispersion relations; lasers Problem set 7 due
IV. Fields and forces
L15

Dielectric waveguides

Demo: evanescent waves

 
R18 Force problems in capacitive and inductive systems  
L16

Energy in electric and magnetic fields; principle of virtual work to find electric and magnetic forces; magnetic circuit problems

Demo: H/M 11.6.2 force on a dielectric material (video)

 
R19 Ohm's law for moving media; Faraday's disk (homopolar generator); torque; equivalent circuit

Problem set 8 due

Problem set 9 out

L17

Synchronous rotating machines

Film: Synchronous Machines

 
L18

Self-excited electric and magnetic machines

Demo: H/M 7.7.1 van de Graaff and Kelvin generators (video); self-excited commutator machines

 
R20 Quiz 2 review  
Q2 Quiz 2  
R21 Torque-speed characteristics of rotating machines  
V. Antennas and radiation
L19 Radiation by charges and currents; setting the gauge; Lorentz gauge; superposition integral solutions for scalar and vector potentials; radiation from a point electric dipole; receiving antenna properties Problem set 10 out
R22 Electric and magnetic fields from a point electric dipole; far-field solution; radiation resistance; effective dipole length; antenna gain Problem set 9 due
L20

2 element array; broad side and end-fire arrays

Demo: radiation patterns

Problem set 11 out
R23

Element and array factors; N dipole array; beam steering

Demo: radiation patterns/computer simulations

Problem set 10 due
L21 Transmitting and receiving antennas; wireless and optical communications  
R24 Wireless and optical communication problems  
VI. Acoustics
L22 Acoustic waves  
R25 Acoustic wave boundary value problems Problem set 11 due
L23 Course review