Excitation of surface waves and static current under instantaneous creation of plasma layer in the plane electromagnetic wave

— The frequencies and amplitudes of surface waves excited in instantaneous ionization of a layer in the field of a p -polarized plane wave, as well as the quasi-static current density and magnetic field generated in resulting plasma, are calculated analytically and numerically. Depending on the plasma layer and incident wave parameters, the energies stored in odd surface waves and static fields and currents can significantly exceed the energy of even surface waves, and the resulting quasi-dc magnetic fields in plasma can be comparable to the incident wave amplitude.