Evidence for the electromagnetic decay instability driven by two plasmon decay

Summary form only given, as follows. The paper examines the electromagnetic decay instability (EDI) and its role in laser-produced plasmas. The electromagnetic decay instability provides another channel through which parametric instabilities involving Langmuir waves can saturate. In the case where EDI is pumped by the Langmuir waves associated with the two plasmon decay, EDI is shown to present an explanation for /spl omega//sub 0//2 emission from laser-produced plasmas which is consistent with experimental observations.