First measurement of backscatter dependence on ion acoustic damping in a high density helium/hydrogen laser-plasma

The dependence of stimulated backward and forward scattered light on ion acoustic damping (νi) is measured for the first time in a long scale length He/H2 composition plasma at a density of 0.08 critical for 351-nm laser light. Both the stimulated Raman and Brillouin backscattering decrease with increasing ion acoustic damping. Modeling of the backward scattering agrees with the measurements when the Langmuir and ion acoustic fluctuations saturate at δn/n=0.01 and 0.001, respectively. These low saturation levels cannot be explained using standard nonlinear wave decay saturation mechanisms and may indicate that other saturation mechanisms are active in this plasma. Modeling of the forward scattering agrees qualitatively with the measurements and provides an estimate of the density fluctuations in the plasma.

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