Enhanced Brillouin scattering of a Gaussian laser beam from a plasma
Abstract
Brillouin scattering of a high-power Gaussian laser beam from a hot collisionless plasma has been investigated. The pump (ω0, k0) interacts with a preexcited ion-acoustic wave (ω,k), generating a backscattered wave (ω0-ω, k0-k). The transverse intensity gradient of the pump generates a ponderomotive force, which modifies the plasma-density profile transverse to the beam axis. Consequently, the pump beam is self-focused and it also leads to the focusing of the ion-acoustic and the backscattered electromagnetic waves, provided appropriate conditions are satisfied. It is seen that self-focusing of the waves results in enhanced backscattering.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Applied Physics
- Pub Date:
- July 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.326577
- Bibcode:
- 1979JAP....50.4678S
- Keywords:
-
- Brillouin Effect;
- Laser Beams;
- Laser Plasma Interactions;
- Light Scattering;
- Plasma-Electromagnetic Interaction;
- Backscattering;
- Collisionless Plasmas;
- High Power Lasers;
- Ion Acoustic Waves;
- Plasma Waves;
- Ponderomotive Forces;
- Plasma Physics;
- 52.25.Ps