Modeling stimulated Raman scattering for smoothed laser-solid target interaction at 0.53 mu m

The behavior of stimulated Raman backscattering in an inhomogeneous plasma at subcritical density is investigated in the context of inertial confineme nt fusion. A refined independent hot spots model has been introduced in a l aser interaction postprocessor to hydrodynamical code simulations. The mode l is shown to reproduce most experimentally observed trends, provided that the Langmuir waves damping is reduced on axis, due to the presence of trapp ing, inverse bremsstrahlung heating, or perpendicular self-generated magnet ic fields. The experiments were carried out at 0.53 mum at the Phebus laser facility, and Raman scattering was measured as a function of laser intensi ty and relative bandwidth, as well as solid target composition. (C) 2001 Am erican Institute of Physics.