Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2012/paper-1/section-a/a3/solution

For a hollow, air-filled rectangular electromagnetic waveguide with conducting walls, transverse confinement gives
A transverse electric mode of a rectangular waveguide permits one zero index, but not two; a transverse magnetic mode of a rectangular waveguide requires both indices positive. Take and . The dominant mode is , with
The waveguide cutoff frequency is the limiting value: positive axial group velocity and propagating power require . There is no transverse electromagnetic mode in this single hollow conducting pipe; otherwise a zero cutoff would incorrectly follow.

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