Enabling elliptically polarized high harmonic generation with short cross polarized laser pulses

Journal Article · 08 August 2023 · Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39814-y · OSTI ID:1994216

Ghomashi, B.; Walker, S.; Becker, A.

Abstract Enabling elliptically polarized high-order harmonics overcomes a historical limitation in the generation of this highly nonlinear process in atomic, molecular and optical physics with applications in other branches. Here, we shed new light on a controversy between experimental observations and theoretical predictions on the possibility to generate harmonics with large ellipticity using two bichromatic laser pulses which are linearly polarized in orthogonal directions. Results of numerical calculations confirm the previous experimental data that in short laser pulses even harmonics with large ellipticity can be obtained for the interaction of such cross-polarized laser pulses with atoms initially in a s - or p -state, while odd harmonics have low ellipticity. The amount of the ellipticity can be controlled via the relative carrier-envelope phase of the pulses, their intensity ratio and the duration of the pulses.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division (CSGB)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0001771
• OSTI ID: 1994216
• Journal Information: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 13; ISSN 2045-2322
• Publisher: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English