Scattering of relativistically strong laser radiation in a cold plasma: third-harmonic generation and stimulated Raman scattering by plasmons

A new conservative spatially three-dimensional model is proposed for the interaction of a circularly polarised relativistically strong laser pulse with a cold plasma. Full allowance is made for the wave properties of the radiation and for the potential motion of electrons. A study is reported of the dispersive properties of the problem describing growth of small perturbations against the background of a plane wave. At relativistic intensities the model predicts forward stimulated Raman scattering by plasmons, third-harmonic generation in a narrow forward cone, and backscattering at the fundamental frequency into a wider cone.