  Stimulated Raman backscattering (RBS) of intense laser radiation confined by
a single-mode plasma channel with a radial variation of plasma frequency
greater than a homogeneous-plasma RBS bandwidth is characterized by a strong
transverse localization of resonantly-driven electron plasma waves (EPW). The
EPW localization reduces the peak growth rate of RBS and increases the
amplification bandwidth. The continuum of non-bound modes of backscattered
radiation shrinks the transverse field profile in a channel and increases the
RBS growth rate. Solution of the initial-value problem shows that an
electromagnetic pulse amplified by the RBS in the single-mode deep plasma
channel has a group velocity higher than in the case of homogeneous-plasma
Raman amplification. Implications to the design of an RBS pulse compressor in a
plasma channel are discussed.
