Time-resolved studies of 3/2 omega sub 0 harmonic emission from laser-produced plasmas

New observations of the time-resolved spectrum of 3/2 omega sub 0 harmonic emission from plasmas produced with neodymium laser light suggest that stimulated Raman scattering replaces the two-plasmon instability as the principal source of 1/2 omega sub 0 plasmons when the plasma density scale length becomes sufficiently large. A double-peaked 3/2 omega sub 0 spectrum is associated with the two-plasmon instability and a short density scale length, while a single-peaked spectrum implies stimulated Raman scattering and a long scale length.