Physics 141B, Spring 2010

Problem Set #6 Solutions

David Strubbe

1. (Kittel 10.3)
a) The first Maxwell equation is
H =

1 D
4
J+
c
c t

(1)

Take the curl of both sides.

H =

4
1
J +
D
c
c t

(2)

Assume = 1, as is generally true for non-magnetic materials, and substitute B = H, D = E.

B =

4

J +
E
c
c t

(3)

Use the given identity B = 2 B (only true since B = 0), and

the two-fluid decomposition J = JS + JN :
2 B =

4

( JS + JN ) +
E
c
c t

(4)

Now we substitute the relations for JS and JN from the London equation
and Ohms Law.




4
c

2 B =
E
(5)

A
+

(
E)
+
0
c
c t
42L

40
1
E+
E
(6)
= 2B+
c
c t
L
Then we use the second Maxwell equation:
2 B =

2B
40 B
1

c2 t
c2 t2
2L
1

(7)

Finally we insert a magnetic field of the form B = B0 ei(krt) :

k2 B =

1
40

B 2 (iB) 2 2 B
2
c
c
L

(8)

Therefore the dispersion relation can be written as

k 2 c2 = 40 i

c2
+ 2
2L

(9)

For some reason, Kittel is assuming = 1, though this seems unlikely for a
superconductor.
b) Substitute the terms from J with the Drude model and London penetration
depth:


2
1
nN e2
2 4 2 nS (2e)
2 2
i c
+ 2
k c = 4
m
(2m) c2
4e2
4nS e2
=
(nN i 4nS ) + 2
+ 2
(10)
m
m
provided 1, assuming nN . nS . Note that the m, n and q in
Kittels formula (10.14a) for L are the mass, density, and charge
of Cooper pairs.
The plasma frequency is
p =

c2 n
c2
4ne2
= 2
2
m
L 2nS
L

(11)

Therefore for p , the term 2 may be neglected with respect to the

term with the penetration depth, and the final result is just
k 2 c2 =

c2
2L

(12)

equivalent for a exponential form of B to

2 B =

B
2L

which is a result of the London equation.

2. (Kittel 10.7)
2

(13)

a) The Meissner effect causes the magnetic induction B to be zero inside the
superconductor. Since H = B 4M , H = 4M inside the superconductor. For a uniformly magnetized sphere, we are given that the resulting
4M
field inside is Hsphere = 4M
3 . The total field therefore is H = Ba 3 .
Setting this equal to H = 4M , we have


2
8M
Ba = 4M 1 +
(14)
=
3
3
b) The field of a magnetic dipole
~ is
H=

3
r (
r
~ ) |~
|
r3

(15)

This equation applies outside the sphere. The dipole moment of the sphere
3
is = 4R
3 M . The magnetization is in the direction of the applied field, so
at the equator of the sphere r
~ . The field due to the sphere then is
Hsphere

|~
|
4M
= 3 =
r
3

 3
 
R
Ba R 3
=
r
2
r

(16)

The total field at the surface on the equator (where r = R) is

H = Ha + Hsphere = Ba +

3Ba
Ba
=
2
2

(17)