High-order harmonic generation in molecular gases

• We present an experimental study of harmonic generation in molecular gases, using the fundamental (800 nm) and the second harmonic (400 nm) of a 150 fs titanium - sapphire laser at an intensity of ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img1.gif] . We compare the conversion efficiency and the maximum energy obtained in different species: rare gases (Ar, Xe), diatomic molecules ( ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img2.gif] , ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img3.gif] , ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img4.gif] , CO) and polyatomic molecules ( ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img5.gif] , ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img2.gif] O, ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img7.gif] , ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img8.gif] , ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0953-4075/29/14/032/img9.gif] ). The harmonic spectra from molecular gases are very similar to those obtained in the atomic gases, with a plateau and a cutoff whose location is strongly correlated to the value of the ionization potential. The conversion efficiency is not higher than that of the rare gases.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Atom- och molekylfysik och optik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)