Surface waves of the potential type at the interface between a metal and an inhomogeneous medium

A study is made of surface waves of the potential type propagating along the interface between a metal and a plasma of nonuniform density, with the thermal motion of the electrons taken into account. Dispersion relation for these waves are derived and solved for a linear plasma density profile. The influence of the nonuniformity of the plasma density on the dispersion properties of the waves is studied. Cases of negative and positive gradients are considered. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7842(99)01707-9].