  The Dicke superradiance from an optically thin nanocomposite slab represented
by metal nanoparticles dispersed in a dielectric matrix is predicted and its
theory is developed from first principles. It is shown that the superradiance
signal evolution is determined by the eigenvalues of the field susceptibility
tensor for the slab. The excitation of the system by a pumping pulse in
different polarizations as well as in the attenuated total reflection
configuration is considered. It is demonstrated that the relaxation rates are
enhanced when surface plasmon polaritons are excited at the interface between
the substrate and superstrate. These findings can pave a way to the extension
of the optical techniques based on the Dicke superradiance to the femtosecond
time domain.
