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Waves in Random and Complex Media

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Study on the polarization properties of

electromagnetic waves with arbitrary
magnetic declination in magnetized
plasma
a a a a
Song Liu , Sheng Chen , Zhifang He , Shuangying Zhong & Huiqin
a
Wang
a
School of Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China
Published online: 21 May 2015.

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To cite this article: Song Liu, Sheng Chen, Zhifang He, Shuangying Zhong & Huiqin Wang
(2015) Study on the polarization properties of electromagnetic waves with arbitrary magnetic
declination in magnetized plasma, Waves in Random and Complex Media, 25:3, 393-404, DOI:
10.1080/17455030.2015.1042092

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 Waves in Random and Complex Media, 2015
Vol. 25, No. 3, 393404, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17455030.2015.1042092

Study on the polarization properties of electromagnetic waves with

arbitrary magnetic declination in magnetized plasma
Song Liu*, Sheng Chen, Zhifang He, Shuangying Zhong and Huiqin Wang

School of Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang, P.R. China

(Received 22 January 2015; accepted 12 April 2015)

The polarization characteristics of oblique incidence electromagnetic waves

in magnetized cold plasma layer are studied using the nite-difference time-
domain (FDTD) method based on the trapezoidal recursive convolution (TRC)
technology. The TRC-FDTD formulations are derived in detail and are con-
Downloaded by [UQ Library] at 03:57 27 July 2015

rmed by computing the reection and transmission coefcients for the ellipti-
cally polarized wave through a magnetized cold plasma slab with arbitrary
magnetic direction. Particularly, when the propagation direction of the EM
wave is parallel to the magnetic direction, the right-circular-polarized and left-
circular-polarized wave should be considered. When the propagation direction
of the EM wave is perpendicular to the magnetic direction, the ordinary
polarized wave and extraordinary polarized wave should be considered.

1. Introduction
The nite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been widely used to simulate the
transient solutions of electromagnetic wave propagation in various dispersive materials
including isotropic and anisotropic media.[1] Over the past decade years, there have
been numerous investigations of FDTD dispersive media formulations. These include
the recursive convolution methods,[24] frequency-dependent Z transform methods,[5,6]
piecewise linear recursive convolution method,[7] trapezoidal recursive convolution
(TRC) method,[811] JE convolution method,[12] piecewise linear current density
recursive convolution method,[13] and Runge-Kutta exponential time differencing
(RKETD) method.[14,15] However, the applications of all the above FDTD methods
have been limited as the external magnetic eld direction must be parallel or perpen-
dicular to the direction of propagation, which is a serious limitation. For many practical
cases of interest, the angle between the external magnetic eld direction and the direc-
tion of propagation is arbitrary.
In this study, we mainly focus on modeling the polarization characteristics when the
arbitrary incidence electromagnetic waves interact with the magnetized cold plasma
layer using the TRC-FDTD method. The TRC-FDTD formulations are derived in detail
and are conrmed by computing the reection and transmission coefcients for the
elliptically polarized wave through a magnetized plasma slab with arbitrary magnetic
direction. Particularly, when the propagation direction of the EM wave is parallel to the
magnetic direction ( = 0), the right-circular-polarized and left-circular-polarized waves

*Corresponding author. Email: sliu@ncu.edu.cn

2015 Taylor & Francis

 394 S. Liu et al.

should be considered. When the propagation direction of the EM wave is perpendicular

to the magnetic direction (h p=2), the ordinary polarized and extraordinary polarized
waves should be considered. In this case, the EM waves become partly longitudinal and
partly transverse in magnetized cold plasma medium.

2. Computational theory and formulation

For loss plasma, the electromagnetic waves can propagate only for frequencies higher
the plasma frequencies. If the effect of the greater weight ions on plasma is neglected,
and the interaction with the electromagnetic waves is also removed, the Maxwells
equations in magnetized cold plasma are given as
@D
r  H; (1)
@t

@H 1
 r  E: (2)
@t l0
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The unbounded cold magnetized plasma dielectric constant is no longer the scalar
function of frequency; the expression for the tensor permittivity based on a magnetized
cold plasma approximation can be found.[16] For the cold plasma, the wavelength is
greater than the Debye length, so the spatially dispersive correction of the dielectric ten-
sor is slight and unimportant, hence the spatially dispersive can be omitted. Specifying
the external static magnetic eld is parallel to the z axis, the tensor permittivity expres-
sion is of the following form:




exx x jexy x 0




~eij x

jeyx x eyy x 0

; (3)

0 0 ezz x

where the components of this tensor are as follows:
xp 2   !
x 1  j xm
exx x eyy x e0 1   2  2 ; (4)
1  j xm  xxb
xp 2 xb 
x x
exy x eyx x e0  2  2 ; (5)
1  j xm  xxb
x p 2 !
ezz x e0 1   x m ; (6)
1  jx

0 is the permittivity of free space, is the electron collision frequency,

where p
xp ne e2 =me0 is the plasma frequency, e and m are the electric charge and mass of
an electron, respectively, ne is the electron number density, p
b =
eB
0/m is the electron
cyclotron frequency, B0 is the external magnetic eld, and j 1.
 Waves in Random and Complex Media 395

When the arbitrary incidence electromagnetic waves in magnetized cold plasma are
considered, the oxyz coordinate system (as shown in Figure 1(a)) is transformed into
the oxyz coordinate system, the external static magnetic eld at an angle with
respect to the z axis (as shown in Figure 1(b)).
The transforms matrix is specied as [17]
2 32 3 2 3
0 1 0 cos h 0  sin h 0 1 0
T  4 1 0 0 54 0 1 0 5 4  cos h 0 sin h 5: (7)
0 0 1 sin h 0 cos h sin h 0 cos h
In oxyz coordinate system, the permittivity will be modied as follows:
2 3
exx x jexy x 0
~ehij x T   ~eij x  T 1 T   4 jeyx x eyy x 0 5  T 1 ; (8)
0 0 ezz x
where the notation indicates a complex valued quantity.
Using the electric susceptibility, the expression of the tensor permittivity is written
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as
~ehij x e0 I  T   vx  T 1 ; (9)
with
2 3 2 3
1 0 0 vxx x jvxy x 0
I  4 0 1 0 5; vx 4 jvyx x vyy x 0 5; (10)
0 0 1 0 0 vzz x
where I  denotes the unit tensor and vx is the electric susceptibility tensor.
The time-domain relationship between the electric ux density Dt and the electric
eld Et can be described by the following convolution form:

z
z'
B0
B0
k
k

y
y'
o
o'
x x'

(a) (b)

Figure 1. Coordinate system used in the analysis of EM waves that propagate in magnetized
plasma. (a) The external static magnetic eld is parallel to the z axis; (b) oblique magnetic
direction.
 396 S. Liu et al.
Z nDt
Dt e0 Et e0 T kvskT 1 EnDt  s ds; (11)
0

with
2 3
vxx s vxy s 0
kvsk 4 vyx s vyy s 0 5:
0 0 vzz s
The above time-domain susceptibility functions can be deduced from the frequency
domain susceptibilities by inverse Fourier transformations; () and () are Fourier
transform pairs.[3] In order to simplify the implementation of those convolutions in
Equation (11), the time-domain susceptibility functions () is expressed by adopting
the complex susceptibility functions and simply taking its real parts when computing
the convolution. The components of the expression kvsk are listed as follows:
x2p h i
vjxb Dt
~vxx s ~
vyy s  v jx b 1  e U s; (12)
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m2 x b 2

x2p h i
vjxb Dt
vxy s ~
~ vyx s  xb  jv 1  e U s; (13)
m2 x b 2

x2p  
 1  evDt U s;
vzz s (14)
m
     
with vxx s Re~
vxx s, vyy s Re v~yy s , vxy s Re ~vxy s , vyx s Re ~vyx s ,
where U() is the unit step function.
The TRC scheme [8] is applied to numerically solve Equation (11), and it yields the
following equation:
Xn1  nm
~ n e0 E n e0 E Enm1 m
D ~v ; (15)
m0
2

where
2 3
Z m1Dt ~vm
xx ~vmxy 0
~
vm vskT 1
T  k~ 4
ds T  ~vm ~vm 0 5T 1 :
yx yy
mDt 0 0 vm
zz

In the above expressions,

Z m1Dt
~
vmxx ~
v m
yy ~
vxx s ds
mDt 
x2p vjxb mDt vjxb Dt
v  jxb Dt e  e  1 ;
m  jxb 2
Z m1Dt
~
vmxy ~
vmyx ~
vxy s ds j~vm
xx ;
mDt
 Waves in Random and Complex Media 397
Z m1Dt x2p 
vm vzz s ds  mDt evmDt  evDt  1 :
zz
mDt m2
Thus, we can obtain
2 3
~
v0xx ~
v0xy 0
~0 T 4 ~
v v0yx ~
v0yy 0 5T  ;
1

0 0 v0zz

x2p i
vjxb Dt
v0xx ~
~ v0yy 2
v  jxb Dt e  1 ;
m  jxb

~
v0xy ~
v0yx j~v0xx ;

x2p 
v0zz  mDt evDt  1 :
m2
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In addition, we specify
n1  nm
X
~n E Enm1 m
w D~
v ; here D~vm ~vm  ~vm1 :
m0
2
~ n is expressed as
The recursion relation w
2 vjx Dt 3
D~v 0
D~v 0 e b
0 0
~ n
w E
n
En1
T   4 0 evjxb Dt
1 ~ n1
0 5  T  w ; (16)
2 2
0 0 evDt
where
2 3
D~
v0xx D~v0xy 0
v T   4 D~
D~ 0
v0xy D~v0yy 0 5  T  :
1

0 0 Dv0zz
and
x2p h i2
D~
v0xx D~
v0yy  evjxb Dt  1 ;
m  jxb 2

D~
v0xy D~
v0yx jD~v0xx ;

x2p  2
 1  evDt :
Dv0zz 
m2
Therefore, the iterative equation of the electric eld is as follows:


1 v0 n Dt n1=2
En1
I   E w r  H
n
: (17)
I  v
0
2 e0
2
 398 S. Liu et al.

By dening the auxiliary quantities R T 1  E and S T 1  w, according to

the above Equations (16) and (17), we obtain
1
Rn1
x  2 v0 2
v0xx
1 2 2xy
(
"

 
v0xx v0 v0xy n Dt
1 1  xx Rnx Ry Sxn sin hr  Hzn1=2  cos hr  Hyn1=2
2 2 2 e0
"

 #)
vxy
0
vxx n vxy n
0 0
Dt
1 Ry  R Sy
n n1=2
r  Hx ; 18
2 2 2 x e0

(
"

 #
1 v0xx v0xx n v0xy n n Dt n1=2
y 
Rn1 2  0 2 1 1 Ry  Rx Sy rHx
v0 v 2 2 2 e0
1 2xx 2xy
"

 #)
v0xy v0xx n vxy n n
0
Dt
n1=2 n1=2
 Rx Ry Sy coshrHy ;
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1 sinhrHz
2 2 2 e0

19


1 v0zz n Dt h n1=2 n1=2
i
Rn1 1  R sin hr  H cos hr  H Szn ; (20)
z v 0
1 zz 2 z
e0 y z
2

~
v0 v0xx n D~
D~ v0xy n1 D~v0xy n
S~xn1 xx Rn1 R R R exp v  jxDt S~xn ; (21)
2 x 2 x 2 y 2 y

~
v0 D~
v0 D~
v0xy n1 D~v0xy n
S~yn1 xx Rn1
y xx Rny  R  R exp v  jxDt S~yn ; (22)
2 2 2 x 2 x

v0zz n1 Dv0zz n
Szn1 R R exp vDt Szn : (23)
2 z 2 z

Where, it is understood that only the real parts of complex quantities are used in
each time step update of the elds. The led values are acquired according to the auxil-
iary relation E T   R, and the iterative equation of H eld is updated as traditional
FDTD.

3. Numerical results and discussions

We compute the reection and transmission coefcients of circularly polarized wave
through a unbounded cold magnetized collision plasma slab with a thickness of 1.5 cm.
In order to avoid the zero-frequency incident energy, the incident wave used in the sim-
ulation is a Gaussian-derivative pulsed wave. The direction of incident wave propaga-
tion is along with z axis and normally incident on plasma slab. The computational
domain is subdivided into 600 cells. The plasma slab occupies cells 300500. Five cells
PML absorbing boundaries were used at the terminations of the space to eliminate
 Waves in Random and Complex Media 399

unwanted reections,[18] and other are free spaces. For FDTD parameters, the spatial
mesh width is 75 m and the time step is 0.125 ps. In addition, the plasma parameters
were p = 2 28.7 Grad/s, b = 100 Grad/s, and = 20 GHz. The simulations were
allowed to run for 20,000 time steps.
In order to describe the polarization of the characteristic wave, we dene the
parameters
Ex Ez
c ; j ;
Ey Ex
where is the complex ratio of the wave transverse component and is longitudi-
nal/transverse component complex ratio of characteristic wave, respectively. Their detail
expressions can be written as the following [17]:
"
12 #
s 1 2 1 4 2
c sin h  sin h  s cos h
2
; (24)
cos h 2 4
 
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exy c exx cos h  ezz cos h sin h

j   ; (25)
exx sin2 h ezz cos2 h c
h i.
where s ezz  exx exx  e2xy exy ezz :
The reection and transmission coefcients are calculated using the FFT method.
Time history of the electric eld were transformed to the frequency domain and com-
bined to yield reection and transmission coefcients at each frequency [3]
 
Rx E ~ yr x E
~ xr x cE ~ xi x; (26)
 
T x E~ xt x cE
~ yt x E ~ xi x: (27)
For the specic case the external static magnetic eld at an angle = 0, = j, the
symbol + denotes the right circularly polarization and denotes the left circularly
polarization.
When the external static magnetic eld at an angle h p=2, in term of Equations
(24) and (25), the ratio values of and can be divided into two situations. One is
1 = 0 and 1 1 = 0; this corresponds to y axis linearly polarized wave, named as the
ordinary polarized wave. The other is 2 and 2 2 ; it corresponds to the
elliptically polarized wave in xz plane, named as extraordinary polarized wave.
Figures 2 and 3 illustrate that the reection and transmission coefcients change
with the frequency of electromagnetic wave for the incident angle = 0, 30, 60, 75,
respectively, while the sign + is taken in Equation (23).
Figure 2 shows that, when the incident electromagnetic wave frequency varies from
0 to 24 GHz, the reection coefcients increase with the incident angle increasing.
While the incident wave frequency exceeds 24 GHz, the reection coefcients decrease
with the incident angle increasing. For the specic case = 0, the propagation direc-
tion of the EM wave is parallel to the magnetic direction. In this case, = j, the sym-
bol + is the right circularly polarization. The changes of transmission coefcients
were contrary to that of Figure 2, as shown in Figure 3.
 400 S. Liu et al.

Reflection Coefficient / dB
-10

-20

=0 right circularly polarization

-30
=30
=60
=75
-40
0 20 40 60 80
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Frequency / GHz

Figure 2. Reection coefcients of polarized wave with the + sign.

0
=0 right circularly polarization
=30

-10 =60
Transmission Coefficient / dB

=75

-20

-30

-40

-50
0 20 40 60 80
Frequency / GHz

Figure 3. Transmission coefcients of polarized wave with the + sign.

Figures 4 and 5 are similar to the Figures 2 and 3, but for the case of the sign
taken in Equation (23). It can be seen that there is a rapid change at 28.7 GHz when
the incident angle changes form 30 to 75. This is due to the fact that the plasma fre-
quency is one of reection point inherently. For the specic case = 0, the propaga-
tion direction of the EM wave is parallel to the magnetic direction. In this case, = j,
the symbol is left circularly polarization.
 Waves in Random and Complex Media 401

-10

Reflection Coefficient / dB -20

-30

=0 left circularly polarization

=30
-40
=60
=75

-50
0 20 40 60 80
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Frequency / GHz

Figure 4. Reection coefcients of polarized wave with the sign.

-5
Transmission Coefficient / dB

-10

-15

-20

=0 left circularly polarization

-25 =30
=60
-30
=75

-35
0 20 40 60 80
Frequency / GHz

Figure 5. Transmission coefcients of polarized wave with the sign.

Figure 6 illustrates the magnitudes of the reection/transmission coefcients of ordi-

nary polarized wave computed using the TRC-FDTD and analytical solutions. It can be
seen from Figure 6 that the numerical solutions for the TRC-FDTD are excellently con-
sistent with the exact solutions. It is also found that EM wave propagation region is
f > 28.7 GHz.
 402 S. Liu et al.

Reflection / Transmission coefficient / dB

-10 Reflection coefficient

-20

-30

-40 Transmission coefficient

-50
analytical solution
-60 TRC-FDTD method
TRC-FDTD method

-70

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Frequency / GHz
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Figure 6. Reection/transmission coefcients of ordinary polarized wave (h p=2).

0
Reflection / Transmission Coefficient / dB

-10 Reflection coefficient

-20

-30

-40
Transmission coefficient

-50

-60 analytical solution

TRC-FDTD method
-70 TRC-FDTD method

-80
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Frequency / GHz

Figure 7. Reection/transmission coefcients of extraordinary polarized wave (h p=2).

Figure 7 illustrates the magnitudes of reection/transmission coefcients for the

extraordinary polarized wave computed using the TRC-FDTD and analytical solutions.
It shows that the reection is relatively large in the nonpropagation regions of
f < 21.8 GHz and 32.8 GHz < f < 37.7 GHz, while the transmission coefcient becomes
relatively large in the propagation regions of 21.8 GHz < f < 32.8 GHz and
f > 37.7 GHz. According to the theory of plasma physics, two cutoff frequencies are
x 1=2x2b 4x2p 1=2  xb , where the subscripts + and , respectively, stand for
right-hand and left-hand cutoff frequencies. This statement has been mentioned in
literature [16].
 Waves in Random and Complex Media 403

4. Conclusion
In this study, with the help of the TRC-FDTD numerical method, the polarization
physical characteristics are analyzed when the arbitrary incidence electromagnetic waves
interact with the magnetized cold plasma. We can conclude that when the propagation
direction of the EM wave is parallel to the magnetic direction ( = 0), the right-
circular-polarized and left-circular-polarized wave should be considered, and the inci-
dent electromagnetic wave frequency is greater than 24 GHz, the reection coefcients
decrease with the increase of incident angle increasing. Moreover, due to the presence
of the inherent reection point, both the reection coefcients and the transmission
coefcients uctuate tempestuously for the case of the incident angle = 30, = 60,
and = 75; When the propagation direction of the EM wave is perpendicular to the
magnetic direction (h p=2), the ordinary polarized wave and extraordinary polarized
wave should be considered. It shows that the electromagnetic waves cannot effectively
propagate in magnetized cold plasma when the electromagnetic wave frequency is
located in the cutoff frequencies regions, and the numerical results are consistent with
the analytical solutions.
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Disclosure statement
No potential conict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding
This research is partially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number
61261006], [grant number 11165011], [grant number 61168001].

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