Stimulated Rayleigh-line-wing scattering in nematic liquid crystals

The effect of self-focusing on backward stimulated Rayleigh-line-wing scattering is analyzed in the quasioptical approximation. The longitudinal length scale over which the stimulated scattering develops and also the gain depend on the parameter α = 1 – P/P_cr, where P is the pump power, and P_cr is the critical power for self-focusing. The correlation function and the gain for the scattered radiation are calculated for stimulated scattering in the isotropic phase of nematic liquid crystals. The behavior of these properties near the phase transition to the mesophase is discussed.