Laplace Equations in Electrostatics

April 15, 2013

1. Derivation of Laplace Equations

2. Review of Second order ODEs

3. Separation of Variable in Rectangular Coordinate

4. Separation of Variable in Cylindrical Coordinate , Bessel’s Equation

5. Separation of Variable in Spherical Coordinate, Legendre’s Equation

1 Derivation of Laplace Equation

The Gauss’s Law

∇·D =ρ
Plug in D̄ = εĒ
ρ
∇ · Ē =
ε
Since Ē = −∇V , thus
ρ
∇ · ∇V = −
ε
Consider ∇ · ∇

In rectangular coordinate (x, y, z)

( ) ( )
∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂
∇ · ∇ = div · grad = x̂ + ŷ + ẑ · x̂ + ŷ + ẑ
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z
∂2 ∂2 ∂2
∇2 = + +
∂x2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2
In cylindrical coordinate (r, ϕ, z)
( ) ( )
1 ∂ 1 ∂ ∂ ∂ 1 ∂ ∂
∇·∇= rr̂ + ϕ̂ + ẑ · r̂ + ϕ̂ + ẑ
r ∂r r ∂ϕ ∂z ∂r r ∂ϕ ∂z
( )
1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂2 ∂2
= r + 2 2+ 2
r ∂r ∂r r ∂ϕ ∂z
In spherical coordinate (r, θ, ϕ)
( ) ( )
1 ∂ 2 1 ∂ 1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂ 1 ∂
∇·∇= r r̂ + sin θθ̂ + ϕ̂ · r̂ + θ̂ + ϕ̂
r2 ∂r r sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ
( ) ( )
1 ∂ 2 ∂ 1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂2
= 2 r + 2 sin θ + 2 2
r ∂r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ2

1
 Thus the Poisson Equations are
 ( 2 2 2
)

 ∂ ∂ ∂

 + 2+ 2 V

 ( (∂x 2
) ∂y ∂z )
ρ  1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂2 ∂2
− =∇ V =2
r + 2 2+ 2 V
ε 
 ( ( r ∂r
) ∂r (r ∂ϕ )∂z )



 1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂ ∂ 1 ∂2
 r 2
+ 2 sin θ + 2 2 V
r2 ∂r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ2
i.e.



 ∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ρ

 + + =−

 ( ∂x
2
) ∂y 2 ∂z 2 ε
 1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, z) 1 ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, z) ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, z) ρ
r + 2 + =−

 ( r ∂r ) ∂r r
( ∂ϕ 2
) ∂z
2 ε

 2

 1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, θ) 1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, θ) 1 ∂ V (r, ϕ, θ) ρ
 2
r2 + 2 sin θ + 2 2 2
=−
r ∂r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ ε

Next, before solving these PDEs, let’s review on general solutions of the ODEs.

2 General Solutions of ODEs

Type I
dy ´
+ ay = 0 y = ke− adx
dx

Type II

d2 y
2
= b2 y y = Aebx + Be−bx
dx
ex + e−x ex − e−x
Or using cosh x = , sinh x =
2 2
y = A′ cosh bx + B ′ sinh bx
They are equivalent

′e
bx
+ e−bx ′e − e
bx −bx
y=A +B
2 2
A′ + B ′ bx A′ − B ′ −bx
= e + e
2 2
A′ + B ′ A′ − B ′
A= B=
2 2

2
 Type III

d2 y
= −m2 y y = Aejbx + Be−jbx
dx2
ejx + e−jx ejx − e−jx
Or using cos x = , sin x =
2 2j
y = A′ cos mx + B ′ sin mx
They are equivalent

ejmx + e−jmx ejmx − e−jmx

y = A′ + B′
2 2j
A′ − jB ′ jmx A′ + jB ′ −bx
= e + e
2 2

Hence, to solve the following Laplace Equations ( ρ = 0 )



 ∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ∂ 2 V (x, y, z)

 + + =0

 ( ∂x
2
) ∂y 2 ∂z 2
 1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, z) 1 ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, z) ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, z)
r + 2 + =0

 ( r ∂r ) ∂r r
( ∂ϕ2 ) ∂z
2

 ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, θ)

 1 ∂ 2 ∂V (r, ϕ, θ) 1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, θ) 1
 r + sin θ + =0
r2 ∂r ∂r r2 sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r2 sin2 θ ∂ϕ2

We need to following
 ´
 dy − adx

 = −ay y = ke

 dx
d2 y 2
=b y y = Aebx + Be−bx = A′ cosh bx + B ′ sinh bx

 dx 2

 2
 d y = −m2 y y = Aejbx + Be−jbx = A′ cos mx + B ′ sin mx
dx2
And a techniques “Separation of Variables”

3 Separation of Variables in Rectangular Coordinate

∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ∂ 2 V (x, y, z) ∂ 2 V (x, y, z)
+ + =0
∂x2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2
First, let V (x, y, z) = X(x)Y (y)Z(z)
Thus

∂ 2 X(x)Y (y)Z(z) ∂ 2 X(x)Y (y)Z(z) ∂ 2 X(x)Y (y)Z(z)

+ + =0
∂x2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2
Divide whole equation by X(x)Y (y)Z(z)

1 ∂ 2 X(x) 1 ∂ 2 Y (y) 1 ∂ 2 Z(z)

+ + =0
X(x) ∂x2 Y (x) ∂y 2 Z(x) ∂z 2
Now the PDEs reduce to 3 ODEs

3
 1 d2 X(x) 1 d2 Y (y) 1 d2 Z(z)
+ + =0
X(x) dx2 Y (x) dy 2 Z(x) dz 2
| {z } | {z } | {z }
X−only Y −only Z−only

Since 3 parts are one variable only, the other terms can be treated as constants, thus

1 d2 X(x) 1 d2 Y (y) 1 d2 Z(z)

= a2 = b2 = −c2 where c2 = a2 + b2
X(x) dx2 Y (x) dy 2 Z(x) dz 2
Thus

d2 X(x) d2 Y (y) d2 Z(z)

2
= a2
X(x) 2
= b2 Y (y) 2
= −c2 Z(z)
dx dy dz
Therefore , apply the ODEs solutions

{ { {
Aeax + Be−ax Cebx + De−bx Eejcz + F e−jcz
X(x) = Y (y) = Z(z) =
A cosh ax + B sinh ax C cosh bx + D sinh bx E cos cz + F sin cz

And thus the general solution of the V = XY Z is

{ ( )
(Aeax + Be−ax ) Cebx + De−bx (Eejcz + F e−jcz )
V (x, y, z) =
(A cosh ax + B sinh ax) (C cosh bx + D sinh bx) (E cos cz + F sin cz)
And the A, B, C, D, E, F can be solved using boundary conditions and Fourier Techniques ( Fourier
Series , Fourier Transforms )

4 Separation of Variable in Cylindrical Coordinate

dZ(z)
To avoid the equations being too long , shorthand notations are used : e.g. X(x) = X , = Z′
dz
( )
1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, z) 1 ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, z) ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, z)
r + 2 + =0
r ∂r ∂r r ∂ϕ2 ∂z 2
Let V = RΦZ
( )
1 ∂ ∂RΦZ 1 ∂ 2 RΦZ ∂ 2 RΦZ
r + 2 + =0
r ∂r ∂r r ∂ϕ2 ∂z 2
( )
ΦZ ∂ ∂R RZ ∂ 2 Φ ∂ 2Z
r + 2 + RΦ =0
r ∂r ∂r r ∂ϕ2 ∂z 2
Same, divide whole equation by RΦZ
( )
1 ∂ ∂R 1 ∂ 2Φ 1 ∂ 2Z
r + 2 + =0
Rr ∂r ∂r r Φ ∂ϕ2 Z ∂z 2
| {z }
Z−independent

4
 Expand , and using shorthand notation
R′ R” Φ” Z”
+ + 2 + =0
Rr R r Φ Z
Let
{
Z” Aeaz + Be−az
= a2 ⇒ Z(z) =
Z A cosh az + B sinh az
Thus the remaining part is

R′ R” Φ”
+ + 2 + a2 = 0
Rr R r Φ
rR′ r2 R” Φ”
+ + + r 2 a2 = 0
R R Φ
Let
{
Φ” Cejbϕ + De−jbϕ
= −b2 ⇒ Φ(ϕ) =
Φ C cos bϕ + D sin bϕ
The remaining part is

rR′ r2 R”
+ − b2 + r2 a2 = 0
R R
( )
R′ b2
+ R” + a − 2 R = 0
2
r r
Which is
( )
d2 R 1 dR b2
+ + a − 2 R=0
2
dr2 r dr r
This is the Bessel’s Equation, the solution is R = EJ(r) + F Y (r) , where J, Y are the Bessel’s
function of the first kind and second kind

Thus the final solution will be

{ ( )
(Aeaz + Be−az ) Cejbϕ + De−jbϕ (EJ(r) + F Y (r))
V =
(A cosh az + B sinh az) (C cos bϕ + D sin bϕ) (EJ(r) + F Y (r))

(About how to solve Bessel’s Function will be mentioned in another document)

5 Separation of Variables in Spherical Coordinate

( ) ( )
1 ∂ 2 ∂V (r, ϕ, θ) 1 ∂ ∂V (r, ϕ, θ) 1 ∂ 2 V (r, ϕ, θ)
r + 2 sin θ + 2 2 =0
r2 ∂r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ2
The solution is selected that it depends on r, θ but not on ϕ

Let

V = RΘ

5
 ( ) ( )
Θ ∂ 2 ∂R R ∂ ∂Θ
r + 2 sin θ =0
r2 ∂r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ
Expand

2Θ ∂R ∂ 2 R R cot θ ∂Θ R ∂ 2 Θ
+Θ 2 + + 2 2 =0
r ∂r ∂r r2 ∂θ r ∂θ
2r ∂R r2 ∂ 2 R cot θ ∂Θ 1 ∂ 2Θ
+ + + =0
R ∂r R ∂r2 Θ ∂θ Θ ∂θ2
And specially set the constant to be n(n + 1)

2r ∂R r2 ∂ 2 R cot θ ∂Θ 1 ∂2Θ
+ = n(n + 1) + = −n(n + 1)
R ∂r R ∂r2 Θ ∂θ Θ ∂θ2
∂ 2R ∂R R ∂ 2Θ ∂Θ
+ 2r − n(n + 1) =0 + cot θ + n(n + 1)Θ = 0
∂r2 ∂r r2 ∂θ2 ∂θ

The first equation has the solution form as

R = Arn + Br−(n+1)
The second one is the Legendre Equation, the solution is the Legendre polynomials.
1 dn ( 2 )n
P (ξ) = n ξ − 1
2 n! dξ n
Thus the final solution

V = RΘ
(How to exactly solve the Legendre Eqautions will be mentioned in another document.)

−EN D−