BISTABLE REGIME OF SURFACE MAGNETOPLASMA WAVES EXCITATION AT A SEMICONDUCTOR-METAL INTERFACE

The theoretical analysis of the bistability associated with the excita tion of surface magnetoplasma waves (SWs) propagating across an extern al magnetic field at the semiconductor-metal interface by the attenuat ed total reflection (ATR) method is presented. The Kretschmann-Raether configuration of the ATR method is considered, i.e. a plane electroma gnetic wave is incident onto a metal surface through a coupling prism. The third-order nonlinearity of the semiconductor medium is considere d in the general form using the formalism of the third-order nonlinear susceptibilities and of the perturbation theory. The examples of the nonlinear mechanisms which influence the SW propagation are given. The analytical and numerical analyses show that the realization of bistab le regimes of the SW excitation is possible. The SW amplitude values p roviding bistability in the structure are evaluated and are reasonably low to provide the experimental observation.