Material and electromagnetic energy flows generated in a spatially dispersive solid-state plasma by an electromagnetic wave impinging upon the surface at oblique incidence

Abstract

The anisotropic conductivity of a semi-infinite free-electron solid-state plasma having a sharp boundary is calculated assuming specular electron surface scattering. Explicit expressions for the conductivity-tensor components are presented for a fully degenerate plasma with special emphasis on the near-local regime. With the assumption that the monochromatic electromagnetic plane wave penetrates the surface at an oblique angle the reflected and transmitted fields are determined. By combining Maxwell's equations and the nonlinear Boltzmann equation the energy transport in the plasma is studied. With spatial dispersion effects taken into account, the cycle-averaged Poynting vectors of the plasma, originating in the induced dc mass transport of the conduction electrons, and of the electromagnetic field are determined. A particular investigation is devoted to the case of TE-mode propagation in the near-local regime, with emphasis on (i) a discussion of the angular deviation of the plasma Poynting vector from the electromagnetic Poynting vector and (ii) a calculation of the ratio between the magnitudes of the energy flows. The "problem" of the violation of the principle of energy conservation at a sharp boundary is considered.