PHYSICS 880.

06 (Fall 2005)
(1.1) A&M Problem 1.4

Proble Set 1 Solution

dp p p = e E + H , dt mc , H = Hz z E(t) = Re(E( )eit ). (a) Seek steady-state solutoin of this form p(t) = i p( ) = Re(p( )eit ), p( ) p( ) e E( ) + H . mc 1 py ( )Hz , mc 1 px ( )Hz , e Ey ( ) mc e Ex ( ) + eEz ( ).

i +

1 1 i + 1 i +

px ( ) = py ( ) = pz ( ) =

E( ) = Ex ( ) x + Ey ( ) y, Ey = iEx , E z = 0. The solution is px py pz where c The current density is j jx jy jz where 0 = ne2 . m p , m 0 Ex , = 1 i( c ) = ijx , = 0, = ne = eHz . mc = = = e Ex , 1 i( c ) ipx , 0,

(b)

From Maxwell equations, 2 E = xx = yy = 2 c2 1+ 4i E,

0 . 1 i( c )

Look for a solution of this form Ex (k, t) = E0 ei(kzt) . Plugging in, k 2 c2 where ( )
2 p

= 2

2 p 1 c + i/

= 2 ( ),

= =

2 p 1 , c + i/ 4ne2 . m

(c)

For polarization Ey = iEx , ( ) = 1

2 p 1 . c + i/

(SKETCH/PLOT?...) Assuming p /c 1 and c

1, for large , one can rewrite the above eq. as p 1

p

( ) = 1

c p

i p

2 p p 1 = 1 , 2 p

which is positive for > p , and real solutions for k exist. For small but positive , one has ( ) = 1 +
2 p 1 , c i/

which, if is larger and therefore the i/ term is ignored, is positive for < c , and consequently real solutions for k exist. (d) For c (but still > 0), ( ) k 2 c2
2 2 p p 1 , c c 2 2 p p = 2 2 = , c c k 2 c2 = c 2 . p

= 1 cm, T = 10 kilogauss. c = 3 1010 cm/s, e = 4.8 1010 esu. Taking a typical metalic electron density of 1023 /cm3 , the helicon frequency is f= eH k 2 c2 1 Hc 2 Hc = = k = 2 2 ne 2 ne 2 mc 4ne 2 8 8 m 2
2

Hc 1 (104 )(3 1010 ) 1 = = 3.1 Hz. 2 2ne (2)(1023 )(4.8 1010 ) (1)2