Plasma Transient Processes and Plane-Wave Formation in Simulations by FDTD Method

The processes of plane-wave formation in isotropic plasmas are both analytically and numerically described. An electromagnetic wave is launched into the plasma by a metal plate with a surface RF current. There is a transition time from the initially quiet plasma to the self-consistent oscillations of plasma particles in the electromagnetic field. The transient electromagnetic field in the plasma is written in exact and simplified formulas that are convenient for the calculation of the duration of the transient processes at any distance from the antenna. The latter is important for both analytical research and numerical research since it is the time in which the system reaches a steady state. The analytical results can also be used for validating the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) codes for plasma waves.