Nonlinear waves in a thin dielectric film on the surface of a topological insulator

Abstract Based on the dispersion relation for a wave localised in a thin film of a nonlinear dielectric, which is located on the surface of a topological insulator, we have derived a system of equations that describes the propagation of a surface wave. It is shown that the longitudinal and transverse tangential components of the electric field vector are related due to the nonlinearity of the film and change periodically during propagation. It is found that the rotation period of this vector is determined by the axion charge of the topological dielectric and the nonlinear susceptibility of the thin film.