Reflection and refraction of an arbitrary electromagnetic wave at a plane interface

John Gasper,* George C. Sherman, and Jakob J. Stamnest

The Institute of Optics, The University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627

(Received 5 December 1975)

Asymptotic approximations are obtained for the reflected and refracted fields that result when an arbitrary
monochromatic electromagnetic wave is incident on a plane interface separating two linear, homogeneous,
isotropic dielectrics. The results are the first one or two terms in the asymptotic expansion of the fields valid
as the point of observation moves away from the interface a distance large compared to the wavelength in any
fixed direction apart from certain specified critical angles. The approximations are obtained from the exact
solutions by applying the method of stationary phase extended to allow for the nonstandard form of the
integrands in the integral representations of the fields. Although the method is applicable only when the
medium containing the point of observation is nonabsorbing, the results probably have more general
applicability.

Although it is straightforward to obtain exact solutions

for the reflected and refracted fields that result when
an electromagnetic wave is incident on a plane interface
separating two linear homogeneous isotropic media, it
is quite involved to obtain asymptotic approximations of
the resulting integral expressions. This can be seen,
for example, by studying the extensive literaturel and
the comprehensive monograph by Bafios 2 concerned with
the problem solved by Sommerfeld 3 in 1909 in which
the incident wave was that radiated by a Hertzian dipole.
Nearly all of the literature and the monograph are concerned with the asymptotic analysis.
The problem becomes even more difficult when the
incident wave is allowed to be more general. The great
simplifying feature of the asymptotic analysis in Sommerfeld's problem and in the other similar problems
that have been treated 4 is that the problems are symmetric enough so that the double integrals involved reduce to single integrals. The single integrals can be
treated by the method of steepest descents and that
method is fundamental to all previous work. Because
of the universal dependence on the method of steepest
descents, we cannot extend the analyses of the previous
papers to treat the problem of an arbitrary incident
wave. In the more general problem, we must deal with
double integrals, and the method of steepest descents
is not applicable.
Some double integrals can be treated by the method
of stationary phase, but for reasons detailed in Ref. 5,
that method is not directly applicable to the integrals
encountered in the reflection-refraction problem. A
technique (based on the method of stationary phase) for
obtaining the asymptotic expansions of such integrals
is developed in Ref. 5. Consequently, it is now possible to obtain asymptotic expressions from the exact
solutions for the reflected and refracted fields for arbitrary incident fields.
For completeness, we begin by obtaining the exact
solution to the reflection-refraction problem by applying the appropriate boundary conditions at the interface. The exact solution has been obtained already by
Lalor and Wolf, 6 but their approach to the problem was
from a microscopic point of view based on the theory
of molecular optics. Although that method is more
fundamental, the macroscopic theory provides the most
direct avenue to the solution. Another way to obtain
955

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

the desired solution is to apply the known solution for

plane-wave incidence, but that approach does not simplify the analysis appreciably over that involved when
we solve for the fields directly by applying the boundary
conditions to the total field at the interface.
The approach taken in this paper is similar to that
applied in Ref. 2 in Sommerfeld's problem. However,
our method of solution differs from all of the previously mentioned studies in that we make use of two independent scalar potentials similar to those used by
Whittaker 7 in 1903 to represent the radiation field produced by a system of moving electrons. Each of these
potentials is expressed in terms of an angular-spectrum representation; one potential is expressed as a
superposition of transverse-electric (TE) plane waves
and the other is expressed as a superposition of transverse-magnetic (TM) plane waves. Although it is not
necessary to use these potentials, their application
greatly simplifies the analysis.
In Sec. I, we set up the problem and express the
electromagnetic fields in terms of the two scalar potentials. We obtain the exact solutions in Sec. II and
their asymptotic approximations in Sec. III.
I. FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM
Consider two linear homogeneous isotropic media
with interface z =z0 . In this and Sec. II, the media can
be conducting and temporally dispersive, but in Sec. III
these properties must be ruled out. We label the medium in the half-space z< z 0 by j= 1 and label the medium in the half-space z > z 0 by j = 2. An electromagnetic field radiated by a localized source that begins
radiating at time t= 0 in medium 1 is incident on the
interface. Our problem is to determine the reflected
and transmitted fields from a knowledge of either the
incident field or its source.
To solve this problem, we assume that each of the
incident, reflected, and transmitted fields may be represented by an angular spectrum of plane waves. The
form of the representation follows from Ref. 8. We
label the incident, reflected, and transmitted fields,
respectively, by the superscripts i, r, and t. From the
results of Ref. 8, we have 9 (with q = i, r, t; j = 1, 2)
iawo

(1. 1)

Copyright i 1976 by the Optical Society of America

955

RTEq = (C/@) kq x 8 TE= - (C/1W)

with a any positive constant and

Vq (r, WIZ)= ft,

q(kq, co) e Ik q~r dk,, dk, .

(1.2)

In (1.1) and (1.2), Vstands for either the electric field

E or the magnetic induction B and correspondingly 1'
stands for either A, the spectral amplitude of E(r, t), or
X, the spectral amplitude of B(r, t). The other quantities in (1. 1) and (1. 2) are
kr= kt

ki= k, + kz, en,

W2

/4

(1. 5)

PTiuj

j +

Yj=g
-Cy Ai

(1.4)

r=xex+y6,+(z-zO)9e

1?_j=(,y1-k',)11

2q

C)

(1.16)
Substitution of the results (1. 7)-(1. 9) and (1. 14)(1.16) into (1. 2) yields

Vq(r, c)

= VTEq + V TMq

(1. 17)

where (with p = TE, TM; q =i, r, t)

V Pq(r, w)- J=%/Pq(kq, co)
eikq.r dkX dk, .

(1. 18)

(1.3)

kt =kx6x +ky 6Y

kz2 ,

k'= k+

kk
+

It follows from (1.17) and (1.18) that the electromagnetic field is given in terms of two scalar potentials in
the following way:
w)(r,
)=VXVX 9&s(r, w)+i(c/w)-y'vx &1(r, w),

(1.6)

) I

(1.19)

Here Ej, Aji, and aj (j = 1, 2) are, respectively, the

permittivity, the permeability, and the conductivity of
medium j. The square root in (1. 5) is made single
valued by requiring that it has a non-negative imaginary
part.
The analysis of our problem is simplified greatly by
application of two scalar potentials sometimes called
0
the Whittaker potentials' or the Hertz potentials. "1 As
shown in Ref. 10, expressions for these potentials can
be obtained directly from the angular-spectrum representation of the electromagnetic field. Since E and B
have no divergence in regions not occupied by sources,
it follows from (1.2) that k' -.9k =
W=O, Thus, we
can decompose 8' and Vq along any two orthogonal base
vectors in the plane perpendicular to k". By denoting
the unit vector in an arbitrary fixed direction,
8a (kg, co) can be written

( 1. 7)

8 (kq, co) = tTMa + g T Eq

with
(1. 8)

X)
eq (k", W)k"X (kax

8oTMa= _

gT1, =_-(c/XW)

y'd'~(kq, co) k" x

(1. 9)

where

dq

-([k"x
(/)r(k
[kq =

Tq2
= I 1 for q
'Y=

)
qX

(1. 11)

S)]2'(1.

lo)

= i, r,

(1. 12b)

The corresponding decomposition for O(k', W) follows directly from the relationship betweengg(kq, co)
and 8"(k', W). The relation between the curl of E(r, t)
and the time derivative of B(r, t) requires that
).

(1. 1w
3)

Hence, ge'(k', co) can be written

.r(k`, WI)= gTMa + aTEq

956 =J(cSoc)kAX
956

W) = -

i(C/W),YqVX

gaq

+ (C/cv) 4qVX vx

(r,

co)
(1. 20)

&2(r,co),

where (with j = 1, 2)
(1. 21)

&i(r,co) = ff&M(kQ, W) eikq.r dk, dk,.

The quantities c&q(r, WI)and &q(r,
scalar potentials.

w) are the required

zTEq
and ,TMq are
We see from (1. 9) and (1.15) that
both transverse to . Thus, in (1. 17) the field is divided into two parts, one of which is a transverse-electric (TE) field and the other is a transverse-magnetic
(TM) field, with respect to the unit vector which may
point in any fixed direction. Also, kTEa consists of a
superposition of plane waves in which each plane wave
is polarized perpendicular to the plane containing k'
and
whereas ETq is a superposition of plane waves
in which each plane wave is polarized parallel to the
same plane. For this reason, it is convenient in our
present problem to choose =e.
We shall see shortly
that with this particular choice, the TE and TM fields
may be treated independently.

a,

If the incident field is known, then the spectral amplitudes of the incident potentials, a and &' , are given
in terms of the spectral amplitudes of the incident electric field by (1. 10) and (1. 11) (with q = i), respectively.
If the source of the incident field is known, then the
spectral amplitude of the incident electric field is
given in terms of the Fourier transform of the source
as12

(1. 12a)

for q=t.

5B(k', W) = (c

Bq(r,

br 1)9
Vo.(C/6T
6 No= Sete2(kkA

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

(1. 14)

(1

&i(k, Co) cvIglk x(k'x

where
J=

fffJ|(r, t) ei(k? r t)d

rdt

(1. 23)

and Jo(r, t) is the current source that radiates the incident field. Substitution of (1. 22) in (1. 10) and (1. 11)
with q = i yields
a- wA1[k
ai
x (k'x jo)] .
2 2
l - 2-c
c y 2k I(k1 X8)2
-2

15)

(1. 22)

'X )*
227r2C2Y21kzl(kx
ix ^

(1. 24)

= - CO2,u,(ky 1

et
Gasper et al.

(1. 25)

956

The desired decomposition of the fields is now complete, and we are ready to obtain the exact solutions
for the reflected and the transmitted field.
II. EXACT SOLUTION
At the boundary z = z 0 , the tangential component of E
and H must be continuous. From the uniqueness property of the Laplace transform, it follows that the same
must be true for each temporal frequency component of
the fields. Applying the angular-spectrum representations of the fields, these boundary conditions become
(with j = E, H)
ffAj(k, kyw)e

dk =0,

(kxx+kyY)dkx

(2. 1)

Formulas (2. 7)-(2. 10) are seen to be the Fresnel

reflection and transmission coefficients for TE plane
waves and for TM plane waves. 13 It follows from our
solution that there is no coupling between TE and TM
plane waves at the interface. Furthermore, a reflected or refracted plane wave of the TE or TM type
is coupled to only one single incident plane wave of the
same type. Also, the directions of the incident, reflected and transmitted plane waves that are coupled
are related by the familiar laws of reflection and refraction.
Using (1. 8), (1. 9), (1.18), and (2. 7)-(2.10), we can
now write the exact solutions for the reflected and
transmitted fields

where

'TEr(r
wo)= -

x (kix ) -(c/co)2

As=8 x [k
-

&lkx (krx g)

+ &ttk'X
x ktx
AH=

x(c

y2& t

+ (C/(t))

'

e<e

dk,
(2. 11)

kt X 8

c) = -

Tt(r

(2. 2)

c2
C 2

kix

RL &.2kr>

&'kix

y2r kr xg

-(C/W)

Al1

~T1tr
Er(r,

Cy

fj

T, Zi'kt x6. e

ktrdkxdkyX
(2. 12)

w)
t)

Tik~

.2

kt~r dkxd,(12
X(k r X6,) e ik-r'd8dh y

R.lilkr
R,

=-

(2. 13)
d12 &lr
C li o

+C

a!r(kt)
k

k rXs

Wt

)f

41

W,_

P2

2.

Em

(2.4)

Equation (2.4) provides a set of four simultaneous

algebraic equations from which each of the spectral
amplitudes &r, ar, at, and &Wcan be determined in
terms of c and ai. The analysis is simplified if we
choose ^ = e,, because in that case the vectors occurring
in (2. 2) and (2. 3) are (with q = i, r, t)
g. X [kq X (k x 8.)]= (ka - 8,) e x kt,

(2. 5)

6ez x (k"x 68z) = kt.

(2. 6)

Since these two vectors are orthogonal, the sum of the

coefficients in front of each of them in (2.2) and (2. 3)
must vanish. Hence, we obtain four equations, of
which two contain only &a and the other two contain only
a.
Solving these equations and making use of (1. 8)
and (1. 9), (with s = 8,), we obtain the plane-wave reflection and transmission coefficients for the electric
field:

STE

,STE

A 2k21. 1
M2&j P2 k3 +.kz
1

Y2 1
V11oY'1

957

lk~l+

(2. 7)

-k=T

&

e TMr - r

TM

=R,

kz

gakz

Aylkl

+v71.

& 'k' x (k' x 8 .) e ik' - dk, dk,

(2. 14)

(2

co

V-x EPq(r, w) (P = TE, TM; q =r, t)

(2. 15)

III. ASYMPTOTIC APPROXIMATIONS

Since the exact solutions obtained in Sec. II for the
reflected and transmitted fields are expressed as integrals which rarely can be evaluated analytically, we
derive in this section far field approximations for each
monochromatic spectral component of the field valid at
distances from the interface large compared to the
wavelength. The approximations are the first one or
two terms in the asymptotic expansions of the angularspectrum integrals valid as the point of observation
moves away from the interface in any fixed direction
apart from certain critical angles to be specified later.
We obtain the approximations by applying the results of
Ref. 5, wherein asymptotic expansions are obtained
for a broad class of angular-spectrum integrals. The
results of that paper, however, are applicable here
only when the point of observation is in a nonabsorbing
medium. Hence, we obtain an approximation for the
reflected field using a method that is applicable only if
medium 1 is nonabsorbing (and hence is nonconducting
and nondispersive). Similarly, our method for approximating the transmitted field is applicable only if
medium 2 is nonabsorbing. Although past experience
with asymptotic analysis indicates that our approximations are probably still applicable even when both media
are absorbing, proof that such is the case awaits the
development of another method.

T.

y2y/J
2 kzl

JT,,

AE(kX, k,, o) =AH(kX, k, o) = O.

-+

co)

(2. 3)

Since the integral in (2. 1) is a Fourier-transform integral, it follows from the Fourier uniqueness theorem
that

8 TEr =ai

(r,

k-2

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

(2.10)

We desire asymptotic approximations of integrals of

the form given in (1. 18) as the point of observation
moves away from the point x=0, y=0, z=z0 on the interface in a fixed direction with direction cosines g,
Gasper et aL

957

According to Ref. 5, the first two terms in the

02' t3.
asymptotic expansion and the estimate of the remainder
term are given by
VI(r, w).= - 2frljt er

may now be obtained from (2. 11), (2. 13), (2. 15), and
(3.1)-(3. 7). We have (with p = TE, TM; q = r, t)
gTEr = _ (c/w)yR a ikrxx,

(3. 12)

R&krX

(3.13)

&TMW= -

(1 +2ytrL2) 11 Pq(Yq1 w) 03

(kr

)I

(3. 14)

'VBq = (c/w) kq x><q,

+ [("r)-3 ]

(3. 1)

where
r= [x2

+y

(3. 2)

+(z - Z,)2]1/2

It follows from (3. 1) and (3. 12)-(3. 14) (with q =r in the

latter) that
r

y4

ETEr(r,

iL2\

(3. 3)
0i =x/r = sinG cosO,

(3.4)

02

= y/r = sinO sinO ,

(3. 5)

03

= + (z -

L2=_

)/r=cosS

if q = r,

1 a8 (inO
- 1 82
sinG T0 \s TO siO90

(3. 6b)

(3. 8)

(ii) UPq (k. ky, wj) is a real or complex, continuous

function of three independent variables kx, k., Wj defined (a) for all real kxS k>, (b) for real wj such that
0 -- Wj 7, and (c) for purely imaginary wj = iwj' such
that w' >0;
(iii) UPq(k., k,, wj) has continuous, bounded partial
derivatives up to order 6 with respect to kx, k,, wj for
all k., k ,, wj within its domain of definition.
A. Reflected fields
From the exact solutions given by (2. 7)-(2. 10) coupled with (2. 11)-(2. 15), we see that all of the integrals
involved are of the general form (with j = 1, 2)
k 2 l, kz2)

elkrr dkxdky,

(3. 9)

with
kr = {k,, ky, - kz

=(y 2J k2 )112 ,

r = {x Y,z - z0}.

(3. 10)
(3. 11)

The amplitude function in (3. 9) satisfies the conditions

of Ref. (5) except at the circle k2t=y2, where k, 2 =0.
Let us, for the moment, ignore the presence of this
extra singularity. We shall return later to the question
of how it can be treated and under what circumstances
it contributes to the first-order contribution to the integral. The asymptotic results for the reflected fields
958

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

i2T~rco)

2
3
,i-.3e
irlr
(1 + 2viy
1r
\2y7__r/

~iL

cos0 +71112 cosot

X cos02"l

where U"(ks ky, kzj) is bounded for all k,, ky with j = 1

for q=r and j=2 for q=t;

ffA(kt,

ETr(r,

(3. 15)

(3. 7)

(i) Vtq(k", w) can be written in the form

Vp"(k", (,)) = U (k., k,, k~j)

- /l72 COS0t
coSO + A1172 COS0t

X a 2i('Yj' W) X a,+ O[(-ylr) -3 ] ,

(3. 6a)

The angles 0, k are the spherical polar coordinate

angles (with the z axis as the polar axis) of the direction along which the point of observation moves away
from the point x= 0, y = 0, z = z0 . The result (3. 1) is
valid provided the amplitude function VP'(k', w) satisfies
the following conditions:

I=

coS0
112Y1

z,)/r = cos0 if q =i, t,

03 = - (Z - z0

x cos0e

w)

X(

c(rvw)=
(c/a) yjtXiPr(r, c)
2

)+[(Yrr)-3],(3. 16)
(p=TE, TM),

(3. 17)
(3.18)

Y sin 0t =-2ysin 0,

where t, 0, and r are given by (3. 2)-(3. 6) with q = r in

the latter, and L2 is given by (3. 7). If the presence of
the extra singularity at k12 = 0 can be ignored, then
(3. 15)-(3. 17) give the first two terms in the asymptotic
expansions of the reflected fields.
We now return to the question of the contribution of
the singularity k. 2 = 0. The analysis required depends
on which medium has the greatest optical density.
1. Medium 2 more dense than medium 1
If E > y~1, then the singularity at k12 = 0 lies in the region of the inhomogeneous waves of the angular-spectrum representation in (3. 9). The analysis of Ref. 5
can then be used directly to show that this singularity
does not contribute to the asymptotic expansion of the
integral in (3. 9). Since the singularity at k12 = 0 is integrable, it follows by exactly the same procedure as in
Ref. 5 that the integral over a domain of the inhomogeneous waves, including the singularity at ki2 = 0, de. As a result, the ascays exponentially as yr-ymptotic approximation of the integral is given solely by
the contribution due to the interior stationary point in
this case, and hence the first two terms in the approximation of the reflected fields are given by (3. 15)-(3. 17).
2. Medium 1 more dense than medium 2
If yA >y2, then the critical angle 0, defined by
sinG = r2/r2

(3.19)

is significant. This is the smallest angle possible between the negative z axis and the direction of propagation of the reflected plane wave that is produced when
an incident plane wave is totally reflected. Such total
Gasper et al.

958

internal reflection is possible only under the situation

2y'being considered. In the asymptotic analysis,
we must treat differently the cases of 0 0,c and 0 = 0,.
a. Angle of observation not equal to critical angle of
total reflection. Let 0 00:. To deal with the singularity
at k22 = 0, we isolate the circle k2 =Y2 by employing
neutralizer functions. For details on how to construct
the neutralizers, the reader is referred to Ref. 5. It
is sufficient for our present purposes to note that by
means of neutralizers, the integral I in (3. 9) can be
split up into two parts:

with (j= 1, 2)
I = ff

and make use of (3. 4)-(3. 6) to obtain

a+2v

i~~

I2, 1 =2y/ 22I

1/2

de
dO3
a

dasn
da
sinaecosaB1
ali
2

(3. 27)

sin2 a)l' 2 y2 cosa] v2(y2 since) ,

(3. 28)

X [a1, 3, (ya2/y2- sin

a)"

] eiv2rf(x, )

where
B,1[

sin /)"]

j3, (Y1/Y 2
=A[Y2

(3. 20)

I=41 +12 1

(3. 26)

A=Y 2 since,

sina costs, Y2 sinl sing,

X Y2(yi/ y2 -

f(Ae, 3)= sina sino cos(A - 4) +cos0(y2/y2 - sin2 a)l/ 2 ,

vj(kt)A(kt, k2 1, ka2 )eikfr dkxdky,

(3. 21)

(3. 29)

Dj

where (i) the domain D2 is given by y2 - 6 < k' < 72 + 6,

with 6 a positive constant that can be chosen as small as
one wishes; (ii) the neutralizer function v2 (kt) vanishes
in a neighborhood of the boundary of D2 and is infinitely
differentiable with respect to k,, ky in the whole domain
D2 ; (iii) the domain D1 is the domain of k7 , ky such
that k <y2 - 6' or k2 > Y2 + 6', where 0 < 6' < 6; (iv) v,(kt)
is infinitely differentiable with respect to k., ky in D,
and vanishes in a neighborhood of the circle k' = -2- 6'
and in a neighborhood of the circle kt y2 + 6'; (v) vl(kt)
+ v2 (kt) =1 for all k,, ky.
Since the singularity at k,2 = 0 is excluded from the
domain DJ, the asymptotic result for I, can now be obtained directly from Ref. 5. By choosing 6 suitably
small, the condition 0 0 S,, will ensure that the phase
function in 1, has an interior stationary point. Thus,
for the integral I,, the asymptotic result is again of the
form given in (3. 1), since vl(kt) = 1 at the stationary
point.
To treat the integral
tion variables
kx=Xcos3,

12,

we make a change of integra(3. 22)

k,=Xsing,

a1 =arcsin[(y 2

a+2ir
dP

af/a3=o, show that there are stationary points at

p7r,
ir); [sina=(y,/y 2 ) sin,
(a= -13,=
); (a=,1=
T
We label these
3=Pp]; [since - (y1/Y2) sin5B, = iT].

points a,, bl, cl, and dj, respectively. The points a,

and b, lie at the boundary of the domain of integration
in 12,.1 The points cl and d,, lie outside the integration
region. The last statement follows from (a) the fact
that we can make a, be as close to 21r from below as
we wish by choosing 6 sufficiently small, and (b) from
the condition 0 # S,. Thus, only the points a1 and b,
contribute to the asymptotic approximation of 12,1.
Since the first-order contribution due to a boundary
stationary point is proportional to the amplitude function
of the integral evaluated at that point [cf. Ref. 5, Appendix I], and the amplitude function in I2,1 evaluated at
a1 or b, is zero [cf. (3. 27)-(3. 28)], the first-order contribution to 12,1 due to the points a1 and b, vanishes.
As a result, the integral 12,1 falls off as (y2 r)'3 2 as
y 2 r becomes large.
Next, consider the integral 12,2 given in (3.25).
troducing the change of variable

I2,2 = 2f

,2= 2

AdAk P2 (;)
2)1 /2, (,Yo2-

x exp {i[xX cosf +yX sing - (z-z1)(V

XB 2[

2)1 / 2]

(3. 31)

a+27r
df1

dgm
ao O

d ,usinhgucoshgu

3,( Y 1,, 2/Y- cosh2 )'' 2 ] e'2rf(Y

(3. 32)

where

(3.24)

d2+f

2,2a =f d:

B2 [,A, A (Y/2 - cosh 2 1 i)/ 2 ] = v2 (y2 coshju)

xA [Y2 coshM cosj3,

'Y2
XdX v 2 (X)
2

Y2

cosh g sing,

X Y2(y 2/Y2 - cosh2 tL /2, iv 2 sinhg],

xA[X cosj3,

sing3, (yV - A2)1/2 , (y 2 - A2)1/ 2 ]

x exp {i[YA cosP +yA sing - (z - Zo)(vl

(3.25)
where v2 (x) equals 1 in a neighborhood of A= y2 and vanishes in a neighborhood of A = Y2 6 -

959

f(A,,

(3. 33)
2

3)=sin coshucos(-p) +cosB(y2/y-2 cosh /)

Consider first I21. Let

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

In-

and using (3. 4)-(3. 6), we obtain

Y2
"'

xA[A cosg, x sinB, (Y 2 -

Ja +27

(3. 30)

X = Y2 cosh ,i

(3. 23)

2 =I2,1 +12 ,2

2,1 = fa

The conditions for a stationary point, af/aa = 0 and

so that 12 becomes
with

- 6)/Y2]

/2

(3. 34)
1
= cosh- [(Y2 + 6)/T2]

(3. 35)

The conditions for a stationary point, af/aa =0 and

afl/ag=o, show that there are stationary points, labeled,
Gasper et a.

959

respectively, a2 , b2 , c2, d2 at (,u=0, i3=p); (,u=0,

7,); [posh g= (yl/y2) sinO, j3=P]; [cosh i
= - (y1/y2) sinG, jS'
iT].
Again, if we choose /il sufficiently small, the points c2 and d 2 will lie outside the
domain of integration when the condition 0 * O, is fulfilled. The boundary stationary points a2 and b2 give
zero first-order contribution for the same reason as
in the previous case. As a result, I2,2 is of the same
order as I2,1.
Since both I2,1 and I2,2 fall off as (y 2 r)-3/2 as y2 r be-

comes large, their sum 12 contributes only to the second-order term in the asymptotic expansion of I. The
first-order contribution is due entirely to the firstorder contribution of I4 and hence is due solely to the
interior stationary point in the phase function of I. The
singularity at kz 2 = 0 contributes only to higher-order
terms. Hence, the first-order terms in the asymptotic
expansions of the reflected fields are given by the firstorder terms (i.e., the terms of order 1/r) in (3.15)(3. 17). The next terms in the expansions are of order
3 /2
2
r)-3
(r~y
2)
b. Angle of observation equal to critical angle of
total reflection. The case when 0 = 0, poses additional
difficulties because the relevant stationary point is of
high enough order that the theory required to obtain the
asymptotic approximation is not yet available. Hence,
we do not present an asymptotic approximation for this
case. Instead, we show the nature of the difficulty and
what new theory is required.
When 0 = O, the phase function of the integral in
(3.21) now has no stationary point within its domain of
integration, and hence I1 gives no contribution to the
asymptotic approximation of I in (3. 9). The whole contribution now comes from the integral I2 =I2,1 +2,2.
We consider only 12,1. The analysis of I2,2 is similar.
The phase function now is of the form

Ia

8132

a2f
Ta

(3.40)

Vi

bl

1I b1l

(3.41)
=

which shows that b, is a stationary point of the lowest

order. Therefore for the same reason as in the case
0 * 0,, the point b, does not contribute to the order
(1/kr). However, at the point a, the situation is quite
different. At this point, we find that all but one of the
derivatives of f(a, if) up to the fourth order vanish.
Thus, around the point a,, f (a, j) has a Taylor series
expansion of the form
f(3)

=foto +f

1 2

(~3 -)2

+f4, 0 (a

-2,2(
2.

)2(

+f4,

p)

2 [sing

+(

cos(P
1 - )

-21) "(A4

-sin2)

(3.36)

The conditions for a stationary point lead to

cosal [cos(P -P)
_

- sin2

-(1

1/2

-1)

sina sin(o - P) =0 .

(3. 37)
(3. 38)

Comparison of the situation herewith that encountered

in the case 0 * 0, shows that the points a, and cl which
were separated previously now coalesce, whereas the
point dl lies outside the integration region.

B. Transmitted fields
To obtain the asymptotic approximation of the transmitted fields, we must treat integrals of the form

1=

ff

A(kt, kgl, k. 2 ) eit rdkx dk Y

(3. 43)

where

aIf
aar3a=012=
'

of
ar 2

1
bl

- 2 'Y2
)/1

0=07

960

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

(3. 44)

The integral in (3. 43) is of the same form as the one in

(3. 9), with the difference that the roles of y2 and y2
are interchanged. Thus, we can immediately state:
(1) if Y
1<y2,the asymptotic expansion of I in (3. 43) is
given by the contribution due to the interior stationary
point; (2) if
y>Y2, we must distinguish between the two
cases:
and

I;

V2

For the case when y2<y2, the asymptotic results

follow from (2. 12), (2. 14), (3. 1), and (3. 14) (with
q =t):

ETE.

4 ey2r

x cosG

(3. 39)

(b) sine*

(3) in case (2b) the first term in the asymptotic expansion is the same as in (1), whereas in case (2a) further
investigations are needed.

By direct calculation, we find

(3. 42)

By heuristic reasoning, it can be seen that the firstorder term in the contribution of this stationary point
to the asymptotic expansion of 12,1 must be of order
(r)'l. In order to calculate the coefficient of that term,
however, we must extend the method of stationary
phase to permit treatment of the present type of stationary point. Since such an extension is somewhat
complicated it is not attempted here.

(a) sine==V2
sinaj =0,

A stationary point of this high order has to the authors'

knowledge never been treated in the literature.

kt ={kx, ky, kz 2} f o,,

(
3) =

(1/

iL2
2~

2g 2 y0cos0i
v 1 12 Cos0i +y 2 /11 COsO

X 52'(7 2 t, w) tX gz+

[(y 2 r)-3 ],

Gasper et aL

(3.45)
960

) 2T iyy 2 eir

TMt(

X CosO

7iL)

2112 yl COSOi
Y2 A 1 COSOi + Y 1 A 2 COS 0

X 0!()2

BPt(r w) = (c/@) x 2 0 x
2

(1

w)

x (4 x

~t(r, co),

ez) + 0[(y/2r)-

(P =TE, TM),

(3. 46)
(3. 47)

y2 sin Oj = y2 sin O,

(3. 48)

where 0, 0, and r are given by (3. 2)-(3. 6) with q = t in

the latter.
For the case when y 2> y2 and sinO0A y1 /y 2 the first
terms in the asymptotic expansions are given by the
first-order terms in (3. 45)-(3. 47) with the remainder
term being O[(ryl) 31 / 2 ].
At the observation angle 0 given by sinO = yl/y2 , we
encounter the same difficulties as we did at the angle
of total internal reflection in the case of the reflected
field. Further investigations are needed to treat that
particular observation angle.
IV. SUMMARY OF RESULTS
For the case when the incident field is in the medium
with smaller optical density, the first two terms in the
asymptotic expansion and the estimate of the remainder
term for the reflected fields are given in (3. 15)-(3. 17).
The first-order terms in the expansions of the transmitted fields are given by the first-order terms in
3
(3. 45)-(3. 47) with the remainder term being O[(ry1 ) /-]
provided that sinOg yl/y 2 . We have not obtained approximations for the transmitted fields valid when
sinG = yl//y2 .
For the case when the incident wave is in the medium
with the greater optical density, the first-order terms
in the asymptotic expansions of the reflected fields are
given by the first-order terms in (3. 15)-(3. 17) and the
remainder term is of order (ry2 )-3/ 2 provided that
sin0 *y2/'yl. We have not obtained asymptotic approximations for the reflected fields valid when sinO = y2lyl.
The first two terms and the estimate of the remainder
term in the asymptotic expansions of the transmitted
fields are given in (3. 45)-(3. 47).

961

In each case, the asymptotic approximations are

given in terms of the spectral amplitudes of the scalar
potentials 7j'(r, w) for the incident field. These spectral amplitudes are expressed in terms of the spectral
amplitude of the incident electric field in (1. 10)-(1. 11)
and in terms of the current source of the incident field
in (1. 24)-(1. 25).

J. Opt. Soc. Am., Vol. 66, No. 9, September 1976

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by a grant from the
National Science Foundation. The final stage of the
work was performed while two of the authors were
visiting scientists in the Department of Technical
Physics of the Helsinki University of Technology in
Otaniemi, Finland. We are grateful to Professor
Byckling of that department for providing us with the
opportunity and facilities we required to finish this
work.
*Present address: Research Laboratories, Eastman Kodak
Co. Rochester, N.Y. 14650.
tPresent address: Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, Division of Electronics, N-2007, Kjeller, Norway.
'See the extensive list of references in Ref. 2.
2
A. Banos, Jr., Dipole Radiation in the Presence of a Conducting Half-Space (Pergamon, New York, 1966).
3
A. Sommerfeld, Ann. Phys. (Leipzig) 28, 665 (1909).
4
For examples, see the problems treated in Sec. 5.5 of L. B.
Felsen and N. Marcuvitz, Radiation and Scattering of Waves
(Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1973).
5
G. C. Sherman, J. J. Stamnes, and E. Lalor, J. Math.
Phys. 17, 760 (1976).
6
k. Lalor and E. Wolf, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 62, 1165 (1972).
7E. T. Whittaker, Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. 1, 367 (1903).
8
A. J. Devaney and G. C. Sherman, SIAM Rev. 15, 765 (1973).
9
Reference 8 obtains the angular-spectrum representation of
scalar fields radiated by sources. The modifications needed
to obtain the vector representations presented here are
straightforward. See Ref. 10 and E. Lalor, Ph. D. thesis
(University of Rochester, 1970) (unpublished).
'OA. J. Devaney, Ph. D. thesis (University of Rochester,
1971) (unpublished).
11
Section 1.1 of Ref. 4.
2
1 This result may be obtained by a straightforward modification of the work in Ref. 10.
i 3M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 4th ed. (Pergamon, New York, 1970), p. 40,

Copyright

1976 by the Optical Society of America