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