Feasibility study for using an extended three-wave model to simulate plasma-based backward Raman amplification in one spatial dimension

Abstract

Results are reported of a one-dimensional simulation study comparing the modeling capability of a recently formulated extended three-wave model [R. R. Lindberg, A. E. Charman, and J. S. Wurtele, Phys. Plasmas 14, 122103 (2007); Phys. Plasmas 15, 055911 (2008)] to that of a particle-in-cell (PIC) code, as well as to a more conventional three-wave model, in the context of the plasma-based backward Raman amplification (PBRA) [G. Shvets, N. J. Fisch, A. Pukhov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 4879 (1998); V. M. Malkin, G. Shvets, and N. J. Fisch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 4448 (1999); Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 1208 (2000)]. The extended three-wave model performs essentially as well as or better than a conventional three-wave description in all temperature regimes tested, and significantly better at the higher temperatures studied, while the computational savings afforded by the extended three-wave model make it a potentially attractive tool that can be used prior to or in conjunction with PIC simulations to model the kinetic effects of PBRA for nonrelativistic laser pulses interacting with underdense thermal plasmas. Very fast but reasonably accurate at moderate plasma temperatures, this model may be used to perform wide-ranging parameter scans or other exploratory analyses quickly and efficiently, in order to guide subsequent simulation via more accurate if intensive PIC techniques or other algorithms approximating the full Vlasov–Maxwell equations.