Propagation of Electric Dipole Radiation through a Medium

Abstract

When electromagnetic energy propagates through a material medium, the paths of energy flow may be altered, as compared to propagation in free space. We consider radiation emitted by an electric dipole, embedded in a medium with permittivity ε r and permeability μ r . For a linear dipole in free space, the field lines of energy flow are straight, but when the imaginary part of ε r is finite, the field lines in the material become curves in the near field of the dipole. Therefore, the energy flow is redistributed due to the damping in the material. For a circular dipole in free space, the field lines of energy flow wind around the axis perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the dipole moment. When ε r has an imaginary part, this flow pattern is altered drastically. Furthermore, when the real part of ε r is negative, the direction of rotation of the flow lines reverses. In that case, the energy in the field rotates opposite to the direction of rotation of the dipole moment. It is indicated that in metamaterials with a negative index of refraction this may lead to an observable effect in the far field.