Application of Thomson scattering to identify ion acoustic waves stimulated by the Langmuir decay instability

In this article, we present how ion acoustic waves can be unambiguously identified and can be used to definitely demonstrate the existence of the Langmuir decay instability (LDI) of electron plasma waves associated with stimulated Raman scattering. This observation is very important in the context of inertial confinement fusion because the LDI is a mechanism that may influence the stimulated Raman scattering saturation and growth. The experimental identification of those waves relies on Thomson scattering of a short wavelength probe beam. The Thomson scattered light was analyzed by two sets of spectrometer and streak camera providing information on the density fluctuations associated with the electron plasma waves and ion acoustic waves with temporal and spectral resolutions. Selection of a narrow range of angles (4 degrees of aperture) inside the probe and scattered light apertures provided necessary resolution in wave vector. The method used for the design of the Thomson scattering diagnostic is described as well as the technique used to clearly identify the observed ion acoustic waves as one of the Langmuir decay instability products. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)04809-7].