Optical Mixing Controlled Stimulated Scattering instabilities: Suppression of SRS by the Controlled Introduction of Ion Acoustic and Electron Plasma Wave Turbulence
In a series of experiments on the Omega laser facility at LLE, we have demonstrated the suppression of SRS in prescribed spectral windows due to the presence of externally controlled levels of ion acoustic waves (IAW, by crossing two blue beams at the Mach -1 surface) and electron plasma waves (EPW, by crossing a blue and a green beam around a tenth critical density plasma) generated via optical mixing. We have further observed SRS backscattering of a green beam when crossed with a blue pump beam, in whose absence, that (green beam) backscattering signature was five times smaller. This is direct evidence for green beam amplification when crossed with the blue. Additional proof comes from transmitted green beam measurements. A combination of these techniques may allow the suppression of unacceptable levels of SRS near the light entrance hole of large-scale hohlraums on the NIF or LMJ.