Feature

High-Order Harmonic Generation

M.D. Perry, K.C. Kulander, J.K. Crane, K. Schafer, K. Budil, T. Ditmire, A. L'Huillier, P. Balcou and P. Saliere

Extremely high-order harmonic radiation generated from the interaction of intense (>1014 W/cm2) subpicosecond laser pulses with dense gases offers research scientists a new source of coherent soft x-ray radiation. Harmonic radiation extending to the 33rd harmonic of 1064 nm radiation was first reported in 1989. However, during the past year the most dramatic developments in this new area of nonlinear optics have occurred. Harmonic radiation extending below 7 nm was reported by several groups, many of the observations were well described by both quantum and classical theories, the coherence of this XUV source was demonstrated, and coherent control of the output XUV polarization using a second field of different frequency was shown.

Publish Date: 01 December 1993