Observation of Stimulated Electron-Acoustic-Wave Scattering
Abstract
A diffraction-limited laser interacts with a plasma whose conditions are uniform on the scale of the focused laser spot. Two distinct, narrow waves are observed in the backscattered spectrum with phase velocities of vφ/ve = 1.4+/-0.08 and 4.2+/-0.1, where ve is the electron thermal speed. The high-velocity wave is ordinary stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) from a Langmuir wave. The low-velocity wave corresponds to stimulated scattering from an electron-acoustic wave (SEAS), and implies strong electron trapping. Previous SRS data from low-density plasmas are reinterpreted in terms of SEAS.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- October 2001
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.155001
- Bibcode:
- 2001PhRvL..87o5001M