Key plasma parameters of resonant backward Raman amplification in plasma

Backward Raman amplification and compression in plasma enables pulse compression to intensities not available using material gratings. In order to achieve the highest intensities and efficiencies in the compression effect, in a manner robust both to noise and other competing plasma effects, both resonance effects and detuning effects are exploited. Here we offer a simplified guide to how some of the key plasma parameters and laser parameters should be picked in order to achieve robust and efficient amplification. (authors)