Complex-source beam diffraction by a surface of impedance discontinuity: A local excitation of forward and backward propagating surface waves

The complex source beam (CSB) provides a rigorous testbed to explore beam scattering in various configurations. In a recent publication, we explored the scattering of a CSP by a planar surface of impedance (SoI). Special emphasis has been given there to the excitation mechanism of a surface wave (SW) as a function of the beam properties, e.g., its direction and collimation. It has been shown, though, that the SW excitation is, in general, exponentially weak, even for highly collimated beams.