Spatial-polarization wavefront reversal in stimulated scattering of the Rayleigh line wing

A theoretical analysis is made of wavefront reversal with a spatially inhomogeneous state of polarization of the pump radiation in symmetric trace-free stimulated scattering (backscattering). Mode theory is used to find solutions of the equation for the self-interaction of the pump radiation and also to find four linear indendent solutions for the scattered field having a structure correlated with that of the pump field. The increments for these solutions are determined. It is shown that, in contrast to scalar scattering, in the case of symmetric tracefree scattering (stimulated scattering of the Rayleigh line wing) of completely depolarized pump radiation the solution corresponding to complete spatial-polarization wavefront reversal has the largest increment. Reproduction of the wavefront of the depolarized pump radiation in stimulated forward scattering is discussed.