SELF-ACTION OF SURFACE-WAVES IN A PLANAR PLASMA WAVE-GUIDE

A planar plasma waveguide with a single inteface between an isotropic homogeneous plasma, considered as a nonlinear medium and a linear diel ectric (vacuum), is studied theoretically with respect to the nonlinea r effects of self-action of surface waves. Striction and ionization no nlinearities within a weakly nonlinear limit are the mechanisms provid ing a plasma inhomogeneity. The nonlinear wavenumber shift and the mod ifications of the wave field distribution and power flow are the resul ts obtained for the nonlinear wave behaviour. The analytical and numer ical analysis covers the whole, electromagnetic, range of the surface waves.