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Re: [Phys-l] question about total internal reflection

IIRC, the evanescent wave travels along the interface and decreases exponentially perpendicularly to the interface.

Not exactly:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evanescent_wave#Total_internal_reflection_of_light

bc


On 2010, Jun 10, , at 10:21, John Denker wrote:


Not actually true.

Under conditions of total internal reflection, conservation
of energy tells us that there cannot be any energy flowing
in the transmitted wave ... but if you look closely you see
that the transmitted wave has a distinctly nonzero amplitude
and energy. The trick is that the energy does not flow