Reflectivity profiles of phase conjugate waves produced via four-wave mixing in laser plasmas

Theoretical profiles of power reflectivity of a phase conjugate electromagnetic wave generated by nearly degenerate four-wave mixing in a carbon plasma via parametric decay instability (PDI) are studied. The plasma is considered to be produced by irradiating a carbon slab target with an Nd:glass high-power laser pulse al an intensity above the PDI threshold. The plasma refractive index corresponding to the PDI region is taken into account in the wave equations. Two electromagnetic pump waves counterpropagating in the plasma are Nd:glass laser light waves and a weak electromagnetic probe wave incident upon the plasma, which is very slightly frequency upshifted relative to the pump waves. The effects of the frequency and angular detuning between the pump and probe waves, pump wave intensity, and plasma parameters ou the reflectivity profiles have been investigated it is noted that the plasma refractive index significantly affects the reflectivity profiles of the phase conjugate wave. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.