Stimulated Raman scattering of light in a plasma

A review is given of the experimental investigations of stimulated Raman scattering in plasmas. It is shown that the experimental results obtained for a low-density plasma can be explained theoretically by considering stimulated Raman scattering as a convective instability. A plasma created on the surface of a bulk target is considered and new ideas are put forward to account for the experimental results on low-threshold stimulated Raman scattering and for the intensity of the scattered radiation.