RESONANT STIMULATED BRILLOUIN INTERACTION OF OPPOSED LASER-BEAMS IN ADRIFTING PLASMA

Particle simulations and solutions of coupled mode equations are used to analyze the energy transfer between two equal-frequency, opposed la ser beams resonantly interacting with ion acoustic waves in a plasma d rifting at the sound speed. The simulations and analysis illustrate th e dependence of the energy transfer and the ion wave dynamics on laser intensities and detuning, and the time dependence of the phenomena. T he simulation results are in qualitative agreement with experimental o bservations in the NOVA laser facility [E. M. Campbell et al., Rev. Sc i. Instrum. 57, 2101 (1986)] at the Lawrence Livermore National Labora tory. This work is part of a continuing examination of possible resona nt crossed-beam interactions in flowing plasmas and their potential ef fects on the fusion performance of current and future laser-fusion exp eriments with multiple crossing beams, e.g., proposed experiments in t he National Ignition Facility [National Tech. Info. Service Document N os. DE95017671-DE95017673 and DE95017676-DE95017700 (J. A. Paisner, E. M. Campbell, and W. J. Hogan, The Natl. Ignition Facility Project, UC RL-JC-117397 and UCRL-PROP-117093, May, 1994)]. (C) 1998 American Inst itute of Physics. [S1070-664X(98)01509-2]