Raman backscatter as a remote laser power sensor in high-energy-density plasmas

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Jul 12;111(2):025001. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.025001. Epub 2013 Jul 9.

Abstract

Stimulated Raman backscatter is used as a remote sensor to quantify the instantaneous laser power after transfer from outer to inner cones that cross in a National Ignition Facility (NIF) gas-filled hohlraum plasma. By matching stimulated Raman backscatter between a shot reducing outer versus a shot reducing inner power we infer that about half of the incident outer-cone power is transferred to inner cones, for the specific time and wavelength configuration studied. This is the first instantaneous nondisruptive measure of power transfer in an indirect drive NIF experiment using optical measurements.