Calculations of Brillouin backscatter in laser-produced plasmas

Brillouin backscatter is calculated in an inhomogeneous laser-produced plasma. Equations for the spatial dependence of the incident reflected and sound waves are numerically integrated through the underdense plasma. Effects investigated are those stabilizing ion heating or nonlinear sound wave dissipation, flow velocity magnitude and gradient, electron heating, and broadband incident laser light. It is found that the effect of velocity gradient and broadband light can be very important in reducing the backscatter.