Transformation of the polarization of the electromagnetic waves reflected from the layered superconductors in an external dc magnetic field

Abstract

The reflection of transverse-electric and transverse-magnetic polarized waves from the surface of a semi-infinite layered superconductor in the presence of external dc magnetic field is studied theoretically. The superconducting layers are assumed to be perpendicular to the boundary of the sample. Due to a strong anisotropy of the irradiated superconductor surface, a transformation of the wave polarization occurs upon the reflection. It is shown that, despite a relatively small penetration depth of the dc magnetic field, it qualitatively affects the field distribution of the electromagnetic wave and, therefore, the reflection and transformation coefficients. Thus, the external dc magnetic field can serve as an efficient tool to control the transformation of the wave polarization. The analytical expressions for the reflection and transformation coefficients are obtained and the parameters at which the most effective transformation of the transverse-electric to transverse-magnetic waves and vice versa occurs are found.