Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 59: Ultrakurze Laserpulse
Q 59.1: Talk
Friday, March 16, 2012, 10:30–10:45, V38.04
Dependence of high-harmonic generation yield on driving-laser ellipticity — •Max Möller1, Sabih Khan2, Yan Cheng2, Michael Chini2, Zenghu Chang2, and Gerhard G. Paulus1 — 1Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 — 2CREOL, University of Central Florida, Orlando
Elliptically polarized light fields are of interest in strong-field laser physics from a fundamental point of view as well as for many applications, e.g. polarization gating for the generation of isolated extreme ultra-violet attosecond pulses from multi-cycle lasers. Further, since high-harmonic generation is remarkable sensitive to the ellipticity of the driving pulse, it is central for the design and optimization of such schemes. We present an intuitive semi-classical model that predicts the dependence of high-harmonic generation on driving laser ellipticity. The analysis follows the three-step model of strong-field laser physics and is based on the transverse structure of the electron wave packet directly after the initial ionization step. This allows one to determine the ellipticity dependence as function of driving laser wavelength and intensity. Comparisons to a detailed experimental investigation performed with Ti:Sapphire and second harmonic, i.e. 810 nm and 405 nm, driving lasers as well as with existing time-dependent Schrödinger equation simulations show good agreement. Inversely, understanding the link between the electron wave packet directly after the ionization and ellipticity dependent yield in high-harmonic generation might provide a testing ground for strong-field ionization models.