Dependence of stimulated Brillouin scattering on laser intensity, laser f number, and ion species in hohlraum plasmas.

Stimulated Brillouin scattering has been studied in plasma conditions approaching those expected within laser-driven cavities (hohlraums) capable of driving a fusion capsule to ignition with x rays. These conditions are achieved using a gas-filled hohlraum design that was fielded at the Nova laser. As the intensity of an interaction beam (351 nm in wavelength) is increased above an onset value {ital I}{sub {ital c}}, the measured Brillouin backscatter into the lens rises sharply and saturates. {ital I}{sub {ital c}} decreases as the optic {ital f} number increases. The saturation level depends on the gas ion species. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}