Electromagnetic Theory for M.
Sc Course – CH9 College of Education – Physics Department
9.3 Displacement Current and Displacement Current Density
Consider a parallel circuit of a resistor and capacitor driven by a time varying
voltage V. The current flowing through resistor R be i1 and the current flowing
through capacitor C be i2 as shown in figure (9.1).The nature of the current flowing
through the resistor R is different than that flowing through the capacitor.
Figure(9.1).
The current through the resistor is due to the actual motion of charges and can be
written as:
𝑽
𝒊𝟏 = ……………………………………………………………...….…. (1)
𝑹
This current is called conduction current as the current is following because of
actual motion of charges. Let it be denoted by iC.
Let A be the cross-section area of resistor, then the conduction current density is
given by,
𝒊𝑪
𝑱𝑪 = = 𝝈𝑬 ………………………………………………………..…….. (2)
𝑨
Now assume that the initial charge on a capacitor is zero. Then for time varying
voltage applied across parallel plate capacitor, the current through the capacitor is,
𝒅𝑽
𝒊𝟐 = 𝑪 …………………………………………………………….……. (3)
𝒅𝒕
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Electromagnetic Theory for M.Sc Course – CH9 College of Education – Physics Department
Let the two plates of area A are separated by distance d with dielectric having
permittivity ϵ in between the plates. Thus,
𝝐𝑨 𝒅𝑽
𝒊𝟐 = ………………………………………………………..……….. (4)
𝒅 𝒅𝒕
Now this current is called displacement current denoted by iD. The electric field
produced by the voltage applied between the two plates is given by,
𝑽
𝑬= or, V = (d) (E) ……………………………….…………..(5)
𝒅
Substituting value of V in equation (4),
𝝐𝑨 𝒅(𝒅𝑬)
𝒊𝑫 = 𝒊𝟐 =
𝒅 𝒅𝒕
𝝐𝑨 𝒅𝑬
𝒊𝑫 = 𝒅
𝒅 𝒅𝒕
𝒅𝑬
𝒊𝑫 = 𝝐𝑨
𝒅𝒕
Now the ratio of current to the area of plates is the current density. In this case, the
displacement current density denoted by JD.
𝒊𝑫
𝑱𝑫 =
𝑨
𝝐𝑨 𝒅𝑬
𝑱𝑫 =
𝑨 𝒅𝒕
𝒅
𝑱𝑫 = (𝝐𝑬)
𝒅𝒕
𝝏𝑫
Then, 𝑱𝑫 = ………………………………………………………..… (6)
𝝏𝒕
Thus in a given medium, both the types of currents, namely the conduction
current and the displacement current may flow. Hence, the two current densities
can be written as,
𝑱𝑪 = 𝝈𝑬 Conduction current density …………………………...……….(7)
𝝏𝑫
𝑱𝑫 = Displacement current density ………………………….......……(7)
𝝏𝒕
The total current density is given by,
𝑱 = 𝑱𝑪 + 𝑱𝑫 …………………………………………………………...……(8)
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Electromagnetic Theory for M.Sc Course – CH9 College of Education – Physics Department
Some materials are good conductors while some are perfect dielectrics. But in
some materials, which are neither good conductors nor perfect dielectrics, both the
currents namely conduction current and displacement current may exist. For the
electric field intensity E, let the time dependence be given by eiwt, the total current
density is given by,
𝑱 = 𝑱𝑪 + 𝑱𝑫
𝝏𝑫
𝑱 = 𝝈𝑬 +
𝝏𝒕
𝝏
𝑱 = 𝝈𝑬 + (𝝐𝑬)
𝝏𝒕
𝑱 = 𝝈𝑬 + 𝒊𝒘𝝐𝑬 ……………………………………………….…………..(9)
Then, the ratio of magnitudes of the conduction current density to the displacement
current density is given by,
|𝑱𝑪 | 𝝈
|𝑱𝑫 |
= …………………………………………………….…………….(10)
𝒘𝝐
From the above equation, it is clear that the ratio of magnitudes of the current
densities depend on the constants of the medium (σ and ϵ) and frequency (w).
𝝈
Whene the ratio ≫ 𝟏 , then the medium can be considered as perfect conductor.
𝒘𝝐
Thus the conduction current density is greater as compared to the displacement
𝝈
current density. While if the ratio ≪ 𝟏 , then the medium can be considered as
𝒘𝝐
a perfect dielectric. For the dielectric medium, the displacement current density
exceeds the conduction current density.
As the ratio depends on frequency, the medium which is a perfect conductor at low
frequency may turn out to be perfect dielectric at very high frequency.
