SURFACE-WAVES IN THE REGIME OF THE ANOMALOUS SKIN EFFECT

We have formulated an effective description of surface waves propagating along the boundary between a high-temperature, high-density plasma and vacuum or a high-temperature, high-density plasma and a low-density plasma, within the framework of the anomalous skin effect. Since the anomalous skin effect is essentially collisionless, we have investigated possible collisionless dissipative mechanisms. Two mechanisms have been identified: phase breaking and capacitor heating. The possibility of exciting surface waves by an external electromagnetic wave is also discussed. We propose two types of solid planar targets that after being ionized by an intense ultrashort heating laser beam allow the excitation of surface waves by an obliquely incident p-polarized electromagnetic wave.