Trapping of electromagnetic radiation by the boundary of time-varying plasma

Summary form only given. Here we investigate the phenomenon of wave trapping for the general case when a p-polarized electromagnetic wave is obliquely incident on a plasma half-space whose density suddenly grows in time from one value to another due to ionization by an external ionizing factor. The method of Laplace transforms is used. It is shown that two frequency down-shifted surface waves propagating along the plasma boundary in the opposite directions are excited on the temporal discontinuity of the medium. The absolute values of their frequencies are equal, the signs are different. The dependence of the frequencies on the angle of incidence and the final plasma density is studied. The surface waves amplitudes are calculated and analyzed as well.