On the benefits of astigmatic focusing configurations in stimulated Raman scattering processes

Stimulated Raman scattering has been investigated in different astigmatic focusing configurations with a XeCl laser beam. It is shown that an astigmatic focus can allow to improve the energy conversion efficiency to the first Stokes at high pressures of the Raman medium. First Stokes pulses of shorter duration have been also obtained by using an astigmatic focus with respect to those provided by ordinary focusing configurations at the same pump energy and total pressure of the Raman eadium.