Analytical study of non-reciprocal and unidirectional leaky and surface waves on a grounded magnetized plasma slab

Abstract

Leaky wave along with surface wave eigenmodes excited on a grounded magnetized plasma are considered. The structure of interest refers to magnetized semiconductors at cryogenic temperatures. A homogeneous magnetization is assumed with the DC-biasing magnetic field parallel to the substrate, but normal to the direction of propagation. While the characteristics of surface waves are extensively studied in the past and especially by Seshadri et al (S.R. Seshadri and W.F. Pickard “Surface Waves on an Anisotropic Plasma Sheath”, IEEE Trans. on Microwave Theory and Techniques, pp. 529–541, 1964), the possibility of leaky waves is not well examined and constitutes the original contribution of the present effort. The characteristic equation is first obtained analytically and in turn investigated numerically. The important non-reciprocal and unidirectional propagation phenomena due to the non-even expression of the characteristic equation are verified regarding the surface waves while roots are then sought herein in the leaky modes regime. The conditions enabling backward waves and particularly their unidirectional nature are indeed challenging since they enable numerous novel applications, thus particular attention is devoted to them.