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How to optimize high-order harmonic generation in gases

Nature Reviews Physics volume 4, pages 713–722 (2022)Cite this article

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Abstract

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in gases leads to short-pulse extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation that is useful in a number of applications, such as attosecond science and nanoscale imaging. However, this process depends on many parameters, and there is still no consensus on how to choose the target geometry to optimize the source efficiency. We review the physics of HHG with emphasis on the macroscopic aspects of the nonlinear interaction, discussing the influence of length of medium, pressure, and intensity of the driving laser on the HHG conversion efficiency. Efficient HHG can be realized over a large range of pressures and medium lengths, if these follow a certain hyperbolic equation. This explains the large versatility in gas target designs for efficient HHG and provides design guidance for future high-flux XUV sources.

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Fig. 1: Atoms in strong laser fields.
Fig. 2: Energy-dependent parameters governing phase matching.
Fig. 3: Phase matching.
Fig. 4: Phase-matching window.
Fig. 5: Influence of absorption.
Fig. 6: Validity of hyperbola.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank K. J. Schafer and M. B. Gaarde for help regarding the numerical simulations. The authors acknowledge support from the Swedish Research Council (2013-8185, 2016-04907), the European Research Council (advanced grant QPAP, 884900) and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. A.L. is partly supported by the Wallenberg Center for Quantum Technology (WACQT) funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation. L.R. acknowledges support from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU16/02591).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    R. Weissenbilder, S. Carlström, C. Guo, C. L. Arnold & A. L’Huillier

  2. Grupo de Investigación en Aplicaciones del Láser y Fotónica, Departamento de Física Aplicada, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    L. Rego

  3. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany

    C. M. Heyl

  4. Helmholtz-Institute Jena, Jena, Germany

    C. M. Heyl

  5. GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany

    C. M. Heyl

  6. ASML Research, ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, The Netherlands

    P. Smorenburg

  7. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, Villeurbanne, France

    E. Constant

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Contributions

R.W., S.C., L.R., C.G., P.S. and A.L. provided data for the article. R.W., C.M.H., P.S., E.C., C.L.A. and A.L. contributed substantially to the discussion of the content. R.W. and A.L. wrote the article. All authors contributed with input on the manuscript before submission.

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Weissenbilder, R., Carlström, S., Rego, L. et al. How to optimize high-order harmonic generation in gases. Nat Rev Phys 4, 713–722 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-022-00522-7

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