ION-CYCLOTRON SURFACE-WAVES AT THE PLASMA-METAL INTERFACE

A study is made of the dispersive properties of slow electromagnetic s urface waves that propagate transverse to a constant external magnetic field oriented parallel to the planar plasma-metal interface and whos e frequencies are the harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency. These waves are studied theoretically using a kinetic approach and a model o f the diffusive reflection of plasma particles from the metal surface. The eigenfrequencies of the surface waves are examined as functions o f the plasma density and its transverse variation.