Abstract

A known exact solution to Maxwell’s equations in a plane-stratified medium is shown not to be a traveling wave. The solution can be decomposed into two traveling fields that do not satisfy Maxwell’s equations separately. These fields are identified as the transmitted and return fields. The transmitted field is compared with the geometric-optics approximation: The phases of the two fields do not coincide. The reflectance of a layer of such a medium is calculated and shown to be the same as that obtained by the approximation of a graded profile.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
OSA Recommended Articles
Reflection and refraction of an arbitrary electromagnetic wave at a plane interface

John Gasper, George C. Sherman, and Jakob J. Stamnes
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66(9) 955-961 (1976)

Electric Fields Produced by the Propagation of Plane Coherent Electromagnetic Radiation in a Stratified Medium

Wilford N. Hansen
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 58(3) 380-390 (1968)

Reflection and Refraction of a Beam of Light at a Plane Interface

Helmut K. V. Lotsch
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 58(4) 551-561 (1968)

More Recommended Articles

References

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access OSA Member Subscription

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access OSA Member Subscription

Figures (3)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access OSA Member Subscription

Equations (85)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access OSA Member Subscription

Metrics

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access OSA Member Subscription