Laser-induced thermoelectric current as a source of generation of THz surface electromagnetic waves

The theory of excitation of a surface electromagnetic wave (typically of a terahertz frequency range) is developed, the source of which is the thermoelectric current that arises when a charged inhomogeneous layer of hot electrons of submicron thickness is generated by an intense laser ultrashort pulse at the surface of a solid target under conditions of crossed electron density and temperature gradients. The efficiency of such a generation mechanism is compared with the efficiency of generation of transient surface radiation caused by a bunch of high-energy electrons leaving the target.