InČerenkov and Smith-Purcell free-electron lasers (FELs), a resonant interaction between the electron beam and the co-propagating surface mode can produce copious amount of coherent terahertz (THz) radiation. We perform a three-dimensional (3D) analysis of the surface mode, taking the effect of attenuation into account, and set up 3D Maxwell-Lorentz equations for both these systems. Based on this analysis, we determine the requirements on the electron beam parameters, i.e., beam emittance, beam size and beam current for the successful operation of aČerenkov FEL.