Nonlinear Wave Process Revealed in the Spectra of Stimulated Brillouin Scattering

Abstract
Stimulated Brillouin scattering spectra observed from homogeneous and extended target plasma being irradiated with CO2 laser pulses reveal the presence of ion trapping, the onset of which coincides with a pronounced deviation from the steep stimulated Brillouin scattering increase with laser power. The evaluation of spectra permits the direct measurement of the amplitude of the backscattering ion-acoustic wave and it also provides information on the deformation of the ion velocity distribution under the influence of this wave.