Abstract

The space and time behavior of parametric backscattering instabilities is computed analytically in the so-called modified decay regime defined by the inequality γ₀ ≫ ω₂, where γ₀ is the homogeneous growth rate of the backscattering instability and ω₂ is the angular frequency of the longitudinal daughter wave. The theoretical model we have used has been extensively described in Ref. ¹ : The plasma is assumed to be homogeneous and of finite length L. The propagation of the pump wave and its finite pulse duration both are taken into account, its depletion is ignored. The parametric growth is described by the coupled mode equations where V_α, ω_α and v_α respectively denote the group velocity, the angular frequency and the linear damping of wave α.

© 1994 Optical Society of America