Readings

The table below provides the reading assignments for the course. The required readings are taken from the textbook Electromagnetics and Applications by D. H. Staelin. These readings are listed without an abbreviation in the table. The related reading sections for video demonstrations during the course are abbreviated as H/M. The entire contents of H/M can be found in Supplemental Resources > Electromagnetic Fields and Energy.

Staelin, David H. "Electromagnetics and Applications." (Course notes, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, n.d.)

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 READINGS
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 1.2-1.5, appendices B, C
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

1.1, 1.2, 1.5.3
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 2.1
R3 Boundary condition problems, e.g., perfectly conducting sphere or cylinder surrounding point or line charge or line current  
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

1.5, 2.4, 2.5
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 2.2
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)  
L5 Method of images 2.7
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)

4.1
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)

7.1-7.4
L7 Conservation of charge boundary condition; Maxwell capacitor; magnetic dipoles and circuits; reluctance  
II. Plane waves
L8 Wave equation; Poynting's theorem 1.3.2, 1.4, 1.6
R8

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

Demo: plane wave movies

5.1
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 5.3
R9

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

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

5.3
R10 Lasers; applications to optics: polarization by reflection; totally reflecting prisms; fiber optics-straight light pipe, bent fiber 11.3.2
R11 Lasers; optical devices  
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

5.2
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 5.2
L11

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

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

5.2.4, 10.6.4
R13 Quiz 1 review  
Q1 Quiz 1  
R14 Impedance and VSWR problems using the smith chart; single-stub tuner 5.2.4, 10.6.4
L12

Wave equations (lossless); transient waves on transmission lines

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

5.2.1, 5.2.2, 9.2
R15

Transient wave driven and initial value problems

Demo: transient wave movies

9.2
L13 Reflections from ends; driven and initial value problems 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 9.2
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 5.4.1, 5.4.3
R17 Cavity resonators; group and phase velocity; dispersion relations; lasers 5.4.4, 10.7
IV. Fields and forces
L15

Dielectric waveguides

Demo: evanescent waves

5.4.2, 11.3
R18 Force problems in capacitive and inductive systems 8.1, 8.3
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)

3.2
R19 Ohm's law for moving media; Faraday's disk (homopolar generator); torque; equivalent circuit  
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 6.1.3, 6.2, 6.3
R22 Electric and magnetic fields from a point electric dipole; far-field solution; radiation resistance; effective dipole length; antenna gain 6.3
L20

2 element array; broad side and end-fire arrays

Demo: radiation patterns

6.4, 10.4.1
R23

Element and array factors; N dipole array; beam steering

Demo: radiation patterns/computer simulations

6.4, 10.4
L21 Transmitting and receiving antennas; wireless and optical communications 10.1
R24 Wireless and optical communication problems  
VI. Acoustics
L22 Acoustic waves 12.1-12.3
R25 Acoustic wave boundary value problems 12.4
L23 Course review