High-order harmonics from laser-irradiated plasma surfaces

Teubner, U.; Gibbon, Paul

doi:10.1103/revmodphys.81.445

Cited by 416 publications

(273 citation statements)

References 178 publications

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“…A variety of experimentally-challenging techniques have now been demonstrated for HHG in gases [6,7]. In contrast, the problem is still unsolved experimentally for HHG on plasma mirrors [8][9][10], one of the promising processes to obtain the next generation of attosecond light sources [11,12]. We describe here how STC provide a new approach to this problem, of unprecedented simplicity, generality and potential : one of the most basic types of STC, wavefront rotation [1] (WFR), can be exploited to generate a collection of single attosecond pulses in angularly well-separated light beams -an attosecond lighthouse-even with relatively long laser pulses.…”

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confidence: 99%

Attosecond Lighthouses: How To Use Spatiotemporally Coupled Light Fields To Generate Isolated Attosecond Pulses

2012

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Coherent light beams composed of ultrashort pulses are now increasingly used in different fields of Science, from time-resolved spectroscopy to plasma physics. Under the effect of even simple optical components, the spatial properties of these beams can vary over the duration of the light pulse [1]. In this letter, we show how such spatio-temporally coupled electromagnetic fields can be exploited to produce an attosecond lighthouse, i.e. a source emitting a collection of isolated attosecond pulses, propagating in angularly well-separated light beams. This very general effect not only opens the way to a new generation of attosecond light sources, particularly suitable for pump-probe experiments, but also provides a powerful new tool for ultrafast metrology, for instance giving direct access to fluctuations in the phase of the laser field oscillations with respect to the pulse envelop, right at the focus of even the most intense ultrashort laser beams. PACS numbers:Ultrashort light beams are said to exhibit spatiotemporal couplings (STC) when their spatial properties depend on time, and conversely [1] -i.e. their electric field E(x, y, z = z 0 , t) = E 1 (t)E 2 (x, y). The importance of STC has been largely overlooked in most laser-matter interaction experiments, until recently [2]. In strong-field science, STC are even considered as highly detrimental, because they systematically decrease the peak intensity at focus [3]. In this letter, we show that on the opposite, moderate and controlled STC provide a powerful means of controlling high-intensity laser-matter interactions, and pave the way to a whole range of new experimental capabilities.To demonstrate this idea, we consider a particular application of STC to attosecond pulse generation (1 as=10 −18 s), which has been the key issue in the development of attosecond Science [4]. All attosecond light sources demonstrated so far are based on high-order harmonic generation (HHG) of intense femtosecond laser pulses in different media [4,5]. Since many-cycle long pulses naturally produce trains of attosecond pulses, considerable efforts had to be deployed in the last fifteen years for the development of 'temporal gating' techniques, to isolate single attosecond pulses, more readily usable for time-resolved measurements of electron dynamics in matter. A variety of experimentally-challenging techniques have now been demonstrated for HHG in gases [6,7]. In contrast, the problem is still unsolved experimentally for HHG on plasma mirrors [8][9][10], one of the promising processes to obtain the next generation of attosecond light sources [11,12]. We describe here how STC provide a new approach to this problem, of unprecedented simplicity, generality and potential : one of the most basic types of STC, wavefront rotation [1] (WFR), can be exploited to generate a collection of single attosecond pulses in angularly well-separated light beams -an attosecond lighthouse-even with relatively long laser pulses.Let us first briefly summarize the concept of WFR at the focus of a femto...

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Attosecond Lighthouses: How To Use Spatiotemporally Coupled Light Fields To Generate Isolated Attosecond Pulses

2012

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“…[3]. Although high-order harmonic generation (HHG) is known to be possible also in plasmas emerging from solid state surfaces as a consequence of intense electromagnetic radiation [see e.g., [12] for a review], here we focus on the case when a system of electrons in a static, periodic potential interacts with the exciting laser field [13].…”

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Gauge invariance and interpretation of interband and intraband processes in high-order harmonic generation from bulk solids

Földi¹

2017

Phys. Rev. B

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A theoretical model for high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in bulk solids is considered. Our approach treats laser-induced inter-and intraband currents on an equal footing. The sum of these currents is the source of the high-order harmonic radiation, and does not depend on the particular electromagnetic gauge we choose to describe the process. On the other hand, as it is shown using analytic and numerical calculations, the distinction between intra-and interband dynamics is gauge dependent, implying that the interpretation of the process of HHG using these terms requires carefulness.Introduction The idea that solid state targets illuminated by strong, short near infrared pulses can produce coherent X-ray radiation [1] or even attosecond electromagnetic bursts [2] preceded the first experiments that demonstrated the appearance of high-order harmonics (up to order of 25) in the spectra of strongly driven solid state samples. In Ref.[3] a wide bandgap ZnO target (3.2 eV) was excited by a pulse with central wavelength of 3.25 µm, meaning that at least 9 photons are required for an excitation from the valance to the conduction band [see also [4] for more details]. Recently, a direct comparison of high-order harmonic generation in the solid and gas phases of argon and krypton has been reported [5].Theoretically, semiconductor Bloch-equations were applied to describe the problem [6], a closed-form expression were given to the subcycle-resolved transition rate of electrons between bands [7], appearance of attosecond pulses were predicted [8], semiclassical [9] and a saddlepoint [10] analysis were performed and the role of an indirect bandgap was also investigated [11].

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“…Giant magnetic fields are found around this surface [6], and relativistic oscillations of this surface can up-shift incident light to higher-order harmonic, attosecond pulses [7]. In the four decades of investigation of laser-produced plasmas, the dynamics of coupling of long (nanosecond) pulses have been investigated thoroughly in experiments, analytical theory, and computer simulations [8], but the long pulses integrated out the rapid motion of the critical surface, and thus its motion was never probed in real time.…”

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Doppler Spectrometry for Ultrafast Temporal Mapping of Density Dynamics in Laser-Induced Plasmas

et al. 2010

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We present high resolution measurements of the ultrafast temporal dynamics of the critical surface in moderately overdense, hot plasma by using two-color, pump-probe Doppler spectrometry. Our measurements clearly capture the initial inward motion of the plasma inside the critical surface of the pump laser which is followed by outward expansion. The measured instantaneous velocity and acceleration profiles are very well reproduced by a hybrid simulation that uses a 1D electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulation for the initial evolution and a hydrodynamics simulation for the later times. The combination of high temporal resolution and dynamic range in our measurements clearly provides quantitative unraveling of the dynamics in this important region, enabling this as a powerful technique to obtain ultrafast snapshots of plasma density and temperature profiles for providing benchmarks for simulations.

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High-order harmonics from laser-irradiated plasma surfaces

Cited by 416 publications

References 178 publications

Attosecond Lighthouses: How To Use Spatiotemporally Coupled Light Fields To Generate Isolated Attosecond Pulses

Attosecond Lighthouses: How To Use Spatiotemporally Coupled Light Fields To Generate Isolated Attosecond Pulses

Gauge invariance and interpretation of interband and intraband processes in high-order harmonic generation from bulk solids

Doppler Spectrometry for Ultrafast Temporal Mapping of Density Dynamics in Laser-Induced Plasmas

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