A theoretical and numerical analysis is made of the dynamics of nonlin
ear electron-beam scattering of a wave reflected by the emitting devic
e of a plasma oscillator. It is shown that a counterpropagating plasma
wave can interact nonlinearly with other waveguide modes of the syste
m and with charge-density beam waves, leading to changes in the operat
ion of the oscillator. It is established by means of a numerical simul
ation that the generation efficiency is reduced as a result of scatter
ing of the counterpropagating wave and stimulated emission of a strong
-potential plasma wave with phase velocity upsilon(ph)=omega/k(z) much
less than c. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.