Surface waves in a homogeneous plasma sharply bounded by a dielectric

The physics, spectra and damping rates of high- and low-frequency surface waves in semi-infinite and cylindrical plasmas are studied. The boundary conditions (both macroscopic and microscopic) imposed on the plasma fluid/particles are discussed. The solution of the Vlasov-Maxwell set of equations for semi-infinite and cylindrical plasmas assuming mirror reflection of plasma particles at the boundary is given. The dispersion relations are derived and analysed. The dispersion properties obtained from the kinetic model are compared with those derived from the fluid model.