Radiation from oscillating dipoles embedded in a layered system

Abstract

Maxwell’s equations are solved for the radiation due to a source consisting of an oscillating point dipole located in a layered system. Solutions are developed first for the related problem of the fields generated in the system by a distant dipole source, and the problem of interest is then solved by application of the Lorentz reciprocity theorem. The effects of extremely thin layers are considered in detail. Some of the results are illustrated by calculations of the emission from dipoles located in, or near, a film covering a plane-bounded silver metal substrate. It is found that the surface selection rule for absorption, emission, or Raman scattering is not valid for molecules contained in this film.