Amplification of an ultra short pulse laser by stimulated Raman scattering of a 1ns pulse in a low density plasma

Experiments are described in which a 1mJ, 1ps, 1200 nm seed laser beam is amplified by interaction with an intersecting 350 J, 1ns, 1054 nm pump beam in a low density (1 x 10{sup 19}/cm{sup 3}) plasma. The transmission of the seed beam is observed to be enhanced by > {approx} 25 x when the plasma is near the resonant density for stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), compared to measured transmissions at wavelengths just below the resonant value. The amplification is observed to increase rapidly with increases in both pump intensity and plasma density.