Parametric excitation surface waves at plasma boundary under action of p-polarized laser radiation

The parametric excitation of surface waves at the plasma boundary under the action of a p-polarized electromagnetic pump wave is analyzed. The instability, at which the pump wave decays into two surface electromagnetic TM modes, is considered. The dependence of the instability growth rate on the plasma electron density, the angle of incidence of the pump wave, and the direction of propagation of the excited surface waves is investigated. It is shown that the instability growth rate has a maximum value in the case when short-wave quasistatic surface waves are excited. (paper)