Electromagnetic wave propagation in a plane dielectric layer under critical conditions

An exact solution to the problem of a plane wave propagation in a plane-str atified dielectric layer of arbitrary thickness is studied. An approach bas ed on self-consistent finite differences is suggested, replacing the layer by a stack of homogeneous sublayers of variable thickness matched to the lo cal behavior of the permittivity profile. For the region around zero permit tivity, it is predicted that small perturbations of the physical parameters of the problem cause qualitative and quantitative changes in the solution. The conditions for the excitation of a surface wave are formulated. Comput ed data for the wave are presented. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".