High harmonic generation

About: High harmonic generation is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 11694 publications have been published within this topic receiving 222650 citations. The topic is also known as: HHG.

Polarization-dependent optical second-harmonic imaging of a rat-tail tendon.

Abstract: Using scanning confocal microscopy, we measure the backscattered second harmonic signal generated by a 100 fs laser in rat-tail tendon collagen. Damage to the sample is avoided by using a continuous scanning technique, rather than measuring the signal at discrete points. The second harmonic signal varies by about a factor of 2 across a single cross section of the rat-tail tendon fascicle. The signal intensity depends both on the collagen organization and the backscattering efficiency. This implies that we cannot use intensity measurements alone to characterize collagen structure. However, we can infer structural information from the polarization dependence of the second harmonic signal. Axial and transverse scans for different linear polarization angles of the input beam show that second harmonic generation (SHG) in the rat-tail tendon depends strongly on the polarization of the input laser beam. We develop an analytical model for the SHG as a function of the polarization angle in the rat-tail tendon. We apply this model in determining the orientation of collagen fibrils in the fascicle and the ratio gamma between the two independent elements of the second-order nonlinear susceptibility tensor. There is a good fit between our model and the measured data.

Colloquium : Optimal control of high-harmonic generation

Abstract: High-harmonic generation provides an attractive light source of coherent radiation in the extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) and soft-x-ray regions of the spectrum and allows for the production of single attosecond pulses or pulse trains. This Colloquium covers the control of high-harmonic spectra by temporal and spatial pulse shaping of the driving laser pulses and its implications on time-resolved XUV spectroscopy and attosecond pulse shaping. It summarizes important steps for extending existing pulse shaping techniques and control schemes from the near-infrared or visible part to shorter wavelengths. Using adaptive pulse shaping of the driving laser pulses, several groups have demonstrated control of the high-harmonic spectrum, including the author's work on the complete control over the XUV spectrum of high-order harmonics, generated in a gas-filled hollow fiber. It is possible to achieve both the enhancement and the suppression of single or several selected harmonic orders. These arbitrarily shaped soft-x-ray spectra will allow for important modifications of the resulting harmonic pulses in the temporal domain. This constitutes first steps towards direct attosecond pulse shaping in the soft-x-ray domain. Moreover, high-harmonic generation in a hollow-core fiber can be enhanced by coupling into a single fiber mode using a feedback-controlled adaptive two-dimensional spatial light modulator.

Near-Field Imaging of Nonlinear Optical Mixing in Single Zinc Oxide Nanowires

Abstract: The nonlinear optical response of semiconductor nanowires has potential application for frequency conversion in nanoscale optical circuitry. Here, second- and third-harmonic generation (SHG, THG) are imaged on single zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). The absolute magnitudes of the two independent (2) elements of a single wire are determined, and the nanowire SHG and THG emission patterns as a function of incident polarization are attributed to the hexagonal nanowire geometry and (2) tensor symmetry. Semiconductor nanowires are of current interest because of their unique electrical and optical properties. 1-3 In particular, their nonlinear optical properties suggest potential applications as frequency converters or logic/routing elements in nanoscale optoelectronic circuitry. A linear optical property of nanowires, photoluminescence (PL) polarization, has recently been studied in single indium phosphide nanowires. 2 In that case, the PL polarization is based upon the classical electromagnetic properties of a dielectric cylinder and averages ca. 91%. In contrast, coherent nonlinear optical phenomena, such as second- and third-harmonic generation (SHG and THG, respectively), depend explicitly on the crystal lattice structure of the medium, which could yield a very high (nearly 100%) polarization selectivity. In addition, the temporal response of the nonresonant harmonic generation is similar to the pulse width of the pump laser, in some cases 20 fs, 4 while incoherent processes are at least 2-4 orders of magnitude slower. Moreover, nonresonant SHG is essentially independent of wavelength below the energy band gap of semiconductor materials, most often including the 1.3-1.5 Im wavelength region typically used in optical fiber

Coherent water window x ray by phase-matched high-order harmonic generation in neutral media.

Abstract: We demonstrate the generation of a coherent water window x ray by extending the plateau region of high-order harmonics under a neutral-medium condition. The maximum harmonic photon energies attained are 300 and 450 eV in Ne and He, respectively. Our proposed generation scheme, combining a 1.6 microm laser driver and a neutral Ne gas medium, is efficient and scalable in output yields of the water window x ray. Thus, the precept of the design parameter for a single-shot live-cell imaging by contact microscopy is presented.

Wavelength scaling of high harmonic generation efficiency.

Abstract: Using longer wavelength laser drivers for high harmonic generation is desirable because the highest extreme ultraviolet frequency scales as the square of the wavelength. Recent numerical studies predict that high harmonic efficiency falls dramatically with increasing wavelength, with a very unfavorable lambda(-(5-6)) scaling. We performed an experimental study of the high harmonic yield over a wavelength range of 800-1850 nm. A thin gas jet was employed to minimize phase matching effects, and the laser intensity and focal spot size were kept constant as the wavelength was changed. Ion yield was simultaneously measured so that the total number of emitting atoms was known. We found that the scaling at constant laser intensity is lambda(-6.3+/-1.1) in Xe and lambda(-6.5+/-1.1) in Kr over the wavelength range of 800-1850 nm, somewhat worse than the theoretical predictions.