Propagation of electromagnetic waves in conductive media

Electromagnetic waves in a plasma

Interaction between an OPPH and a locally neutral plasma without collision

Describe a simple model of a low-density plasma without interactions
Know that a plasma is a dispersive, non-absorbing medium of imaginary complex conductivity pure
Know how to establish the dispersion relation
Know that there is a plasma pulsation below which the wave is evanescent (reactive domain) and above which an OPPH can sepropagate (transparent zone)




Electromagnetic waves in a conductor

OPPH/conductor interaction :

Know that conductivity is in the general complex case
Know how to establish the dispersion relation in the general case


Low-frequency behavior:

Case of the ohmic conductor (real conductivity)
Propagation with dispersion and absorption
Know how to define skin thickness. Limiting case of the perfect conductor




Reflection of an OPPH between two half-spaces of complex indices under normal incidence

Complex coefficients of reflection and transmission:

Coefficients of reflection r and transmission t in electric field amplitude


Coefficients of reflection and transmission in power:

Coefficients of reflection R and transmission T in power at the interface


Case of a vacuum/plasma interface:

establish the coefficients of reflection and transmission of the electric field
establish the coefficients of reflection and transmission in power
Distinguish between behavior in the transparency domain and in the reactive domain of the plasma


Case of a vacuum/ohmic conductor interface:

establish the coefficients of reflection and transmission of the electric field
establish the coefficients of reflection and transmission in power
Limit case of the perfect conductor

Electromagnetic waves in a plasma
Electromagnetic waves in a conductor
Wave reflection between 2 media with different optical indices