A tunable XUV monochromatic light source based on the time preserving grating selection of high-order harmonic generation

We accomplish a laboratory facility for producing a femtosecond XUV coherent monochromatic radiation with a broad tunable spectral range of 20 eV-75 eV. It is based on spectral selected single-order harmonics from intense laser driven high harmonic generation in gas phase. The time preserving for the selected harmonic radiation is achieved by a Czerny-Turner type monochromator designed with a conical diffraction grating mount for minimizing the time broadening caused by grating diffraction and keeping a relatively high diffraction efficiency. Our measurement shows that the photon flux of the 23-order harmonic(H23) centered at 35.7 eV is 1×10~9 photons/s approximately with a resolving power E/?E ≈ 36.This source provides an ultrashort tunable monochromatic XUV beam for ultrafast studies of electronic and structural dynamics in a large variety of matters.     

High-order harmonic generation with a two-color laser pulse

We theoretically investigate the electron dynamics of the high-order harmonics generation process by combining a near-infrared 800 nm driving pulse with a mid-infrared 2000 nm control field.We also investigate the emission time of harmonics using time-frequency analysis to illustrate the physical mechanisms of high-order harmonic generation.We calculate the ionization rate using the Ammosov-Delone-Krainov model and interpret the variations in harmonic intensity for different control field strengths and delays.We find that the width of the harmonic plateau can be extended when the control electric field is added,and a supercontinuum from 198 to 435 eV is generated,from which an isolated 61-as pulse can be directly obtained.     

High-order harmonic generation with a two-color laser pulse

We theoretically investigate the electron dynamics of the high-order harmonics generation process by combining a near-infrared 800 nm driving pulse with a mid-infrared 2000 nm control field. We also investigate the emission time of harmonics using time-frequency analysis to illustrate the physical mechanisms of high-order harmonic generation. We calculate the ionization rate using the Ammosov-Delone-Krainov model and interpret the variations in harmonic intensity for different control field strengths and delays. We find that the width of the harmonic plateau can be extended when the control electric field is added, and a supercontinuum from 198 to 435 eV is generated, from which an isolated 61-as pulse can be directly obtained.     

Extreme Ultraviolet Sources Generation by Using the Two-Color Multi-Cycle Weak Inhomogeneous Field

An efficient method for attosecond extreme ultraviolet source generation under the two-color multi-cycle weak pulse has been theoretically presented by using the concept of the plasmonic field enhancement in the vicinity of metallic nanostructures. The results show that by properly choosing the inhomogeneity of the two-color multi-cycle(20 fs) weak pulse(1013W/cm2), not only the harmonic cutoff has been extended, resulting in a broadband XUV continuum, but also the single short quantum path has been selected to contribute to the harmonic. As a result, two isolated XUV pulses with durations of 68 as and 66 as can be obtained.     

High-order harmonic generation of the N2 molecule in two-color circularly polarized laser fields

The generation of high-order harmonics and the attosecond pulse of the N₂ molecule in two-color circularly polarized laser fields are investigated by the strong-field Lewenstein model. We show that the plateau of spectra is dramatically extended and a continuous harmonic spectrum with the bandwidth of 113 eV is obtained. When a static field is added to the x direction, the quantum path control is realized and a supercontinuum spectrum can be obtained, which is beneficial to obtain a shorter attosecond pulse. The underlying physical mechanism is well explained by the time-frequency analysis and the semi-classical three-step model with a finite initial transverse velocity. By superposing several orders of harmonics in the combination of two-color circularly polarized laser fields and a static field, an isolated attosecond pulse with a duration of 30 as can be generated.     

Ultra-broadband supercontinuum generation with a nonlinear chirped pulse for controlling quantum path

We theoretically investigate the high-order harmonic generation in helium atom driven by a nonlinear chirped laser pulse with few-cycle duration. By employing appropriate chirp to the driving pulse, an efficient electric field waveform of controlling quantum path for ultra-broadband supercontinuous harmonics is realized, and then an isolated sub-50 as pulse with bandwidth of 739 eV can be significantly obtained.     

Generation of an extreme ultraviolet supercontinuum with a multicycle chirped laser and a static electric field

We theoretically present a method for generating an ultrabroad extreme ultraviolet(XUV) supercontinuum by using the combination of a multicycle chirped laser and a static electric field.At a low laser intensity,the spectral cutoff is extended to the 495th order harmonic,and the bandwidth of the supercontinuum spectrum is broadened to 535 eV.At a high laser intensity,the harmonic cutoff is enlarged to the 667th order,and a supercontinuum covering a bandwidth of 1035 eV is generated.In these two cases,the long quantum path is removed,and the short quantum path is selected.Especially for the relatively high laser intensity,an isolated 23-attosecond pulse with a bandwidth of about 170.6 eV is directly obtained.Finally,we also analyze the influences of the chirp parameter and the duration of the chirped pulse as well as the static field strength on the supercontinuum.     

正交偏振双色激光场作用下生成的孤立阿秒脉冲

我们理论研究了正交偏振双色激光场作用下的高次谐波发射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生.当y方向加一束中红外激光脉冲(12.5 fs/2000 nm),x方向加一束强度较弱的激光脉冲(12 fs/800 nm)时,我们得到从250 eV到350 eV的超连续谐波平台,在平台范围内叠加50 eV的谐波,可以得到一个脉宽约为97as的孤立阿秒脉冲. 通过时频分析,我们解释了高次谐波发射的物理机制.     

Approach to extreme ultraviolet supercontinuum in a two-color laser field

In recent years, it has been shown that an intense few-cycle driving pulse combined with a weak control pulse could efficiently extend the harmonic spectrum in the generation of high-order harmonics (HHG). In this paper, we adjust the intensities of the driving and control pulse to generate broader extreme ultraviolet (XUV) supercontinuum. We find that in some special situation when the intensity of the control pulse equals to that of the driving pulse, a clean supercontinuum as long as 80 eV can be realized and a 53-as pulse can be straightforwardly obtained.     

空间非均匀场下核间距对不对称分子谐波发射的影响

数值研究了空间非均匀场下核间距离对于不对称分子HeH2+发射高次谐波以及阿秒脉冲的影响。计算结果表明,通过适当调节HeH2+分子离子的核间距离以及空间非均匀参数,不仅谐波发射的截止能量得到了延伸,而且单一的短量子路径也被选择出来对谐波发射起作用。随后适当引入第二束控制激光场,谐波截止能量得到了进一步扩展,形成了两个带宽分别在431eV和372eV的连续平台区。 最后,通过适当的叠加谐波,可获得脉宽为31as-65as的一系列阿秒X射线光源。     

利用超短的紫外光源来增强阿秒脉冲的强度

本文理论提出了一种利用超短紫外光源来增强阿秒脉冲强度的方法. 计算结果表明, 当适当的加入一束62nm或者125nm超短紫外光源到双色激光场时, 不仅高次谐波的截止能量被延伸了, 而且谐波的强度也比原双色场时有明显的增强. 尤其是当采用125nm光源时,谐波的强度被增强了2个数量级,并且形成了一个232eV的超长平台区. 最后通过叠加谐波次数从113次到170次可获得脉宽仅为43as的孤立阿秒脉冲, 其强度比原双色场情况下产生的阿秒脉冲增强了2个数量级.     

Isolated attosecond pulse generation from atom radiated by a three-color laser pulse

We theoretically investigate high-order harmonic and attosecond pulse generation from helium atom in a three-color laser field, which is synthesized by 10 fs/800 nm Ti-sapphire laser and a two-color field consisting of 30 fs/532 nm and30 fs/1330 nm pulses. Compared with harmonic spectrum generated by a monochromatic field, the harmonics generated from the synthesized three-color field show a supercontinuum spectrum with a bandwidth of 235 eV, ranging from the 154 th to the 306 th order harmonic. This phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that the ionization of atoms as well as motion of ionized electron can be effectively controlled in the three-color field. Therefore, an isolated 46-as pulse can be generated by superposing supercontinuum from the 160 th to the 210 th order harmonics.     

利用超短的紫外光源来增强阿秒脉冲的强度

本文理论提出了一种利用超短紫外光源来增强阿秒脉冲强度的方法 .计算结果表明,当适当的加入一束62 nm或者125 nm超短紫外光源到双色激光场时,不仅高次谐波的截止能量被延伸了,而且谐波的强度也比原双色场时有明显的增强.尤其是当采用125 nm光源时,谐波的强度被增强了2个数量级,并且形成了一个232 e V的超长平台区.最后通过叠加谐波次数从113次到170次可获得脉宽仅为43 as的孤立阿秒脉冲,其强度比原双色场情况下产生的阿秒脉冲增强了2个数量级.     

中红外组合激光场产生低于50阿秒的单个脉冲

研究了氦离子在中红外组合激光场作用下的高次谐波辐射和孤立阿秒脉冲的产生. 研究结果表明,当主脉冲强度相对低时,谐波截止在657阶次处,形成一个宽度为287 eV的连续谱. 当主脉冲强度相对高时,可使谐波截止拓展到1795阶次,连续谱加宽到834 eV. 在两种情况下,我们实现了长量子路径选取,并且产生转换效率较高的连续谱. 特别是对于相对高的激光强度,叠加450—1590阶次内任意87 eV的谐波都可以直接得到50 as以内的单个脉冲.     

HeH2+分子多通道谐波发射的理论研究

利用非波恩奥本海默近似模型,理论研究了强激光场下HeH2+分子发射高次谐波的特点。计算结果表明,HeH2+分子的谐波截止能量要大于经典预言值。理论分析表明,延伸的谐波截止能量是由于激发态激光诱导电子跃迁所产生的多通道电子电离-回碰过程所导致的。随后利用双色空间非均匀激光场机制,谐波截止能量进一步延伸,形成了1个由单一量子路径贡献而成的482eV的超长平台区。该辐射能量相当于单色激光场场强被增强了3倍的结果。并且高振动激发态会产生强度更高的谐波光谱。最后,通过适当的叠加谐波平台上的谐波, 可获得一系列脉宽在30as的超短X射线光源。     

Control of the supercontinuum spectrum bandwidth and emission efficiency for intense-isolated sub 40-as pulse generation by using a coherent superposition of states

We present a systematic study for generation of intense and short single as pulse in pre-excited He-ionic medium with the use of a same-frequency laser field synthesis. By preparing He+ ions in a coherent superposition of the ground and excited states, a depth of spectral modulation efficiently decreases and the efficiency of harmonic plateau increases. By means of optimizing the laser parameters, the broadband XUV supercontinuum achieve by the superposition state scheme. It shows that by increasing the harmonic order of the supercontinuum, emission efficiency increases. The detailed view shows that the short-trajectory contributes to each supercontinuous harmonic and long-trajectory fully suppresses. Finally, by superposing some properly selected harmonics from optimal spectrum, an intense and almost transform-limited isolated 38-as pulse can be generated without phase compensation. A single isolated 5-as pulse can be achieved after phase compensation. These results are explained by using classical and quantum time-frequency analyses.     

Supercontinuous high harmonic generation from asymmetric molecules in the presence of a terahertz field

We have investigated high-order harmonic generation from asymmetric molecules. It is found that supercontinuous high harmonics,which are produced from asymmetric molecules by significantly steering the ionization,are broken down when the electric field of the 5-fs driving laser pulse is increased to 0.16 a.u. The high harmonic generation from asymmetric molecules with the presence of a terahertz field is also investigated. This reveals that the terahertz controlled laser pulse significantly increases the energy difference between photons,emitted from the ejected electrons,in the first and second halves of the optical cycle at the centre of the driving laser pulse. In this way,a 200-eV broadband supercontinuum can be produced in the plateau,from which a 60-as pulse with a bandwidth of 60 eV can be directly obtained with a minor post-pulse.     

红外激光场中共振结构原子对极紫外光脉冲的压缩效应

通过数值求解一维原子的含时薛定谔方程, 研究了具有共振结构的原子在双色场(红外激光(IR)+极紫外光(XUV)) 驱动下发射高次谐波的特征. 研究结果表明, 具有共振结构的原子所发射的高次谐波与无共振结构原子(简称为一般原子)发射的高次谐波有明显不同, 共振结构的原子除了在某一能量附近(原子的共振能量+电离能)高次谐波的强度有很大提高外, 它还对XUV光的响应较一般原子表现得更为敏感, 即使XUV光的强度较弱, 也能够明显提高XUV光脉冲中心频率附近的谐波强度, 更重要的是通过调节双色场的时间延迟, 能使输入的XUV光的脉宽得到明显的压缩, 通过时间-频率分析给出了发生这种现象的原因. 由此提出了通过滤波-连续反馈的方式可使XUV光的脉冲从200 as压缩至120 as左右.     

Harmonic emission spectra and attosecond pulse generation from helium atom driven by the mid-infrared nonhomogeneous field

The generations of the high-order harmonics and the attosecond pulses from helium atom driven by the mid-infrared symmetric and asymmetric nonhomogeneous field have been theoretically investigated. It is found that (i) due to the surface plasmon polaritons in the metallic nanostructure, the extensions of the harmonics from the positive and the negative laser amplitudes, or only from the positive laser amplitude can be found for the cases of symmetric and asymmetric nonhomogeneous fields, respectively. (ii) The wavelength scalings of the harmonic cutoff and the harmonic yield show that the harmonic cutoff and the harmonic yield can be extended and decreased with the increase in laser wavelength, respectively. However, due to the limit of the gap size of the nanostructure, the threshold value of the harmonic cutoff can be achieved for a given gap size of the nanostructure. (iii) By adding a weak terahertz field to the mid-infrared fundamental field with the asymmetric nonhomogeneous effect, the intensity of the harmonic plateau can be enhanced by one order of magnitude, showing a 1280?eV supercontinuum with the single quantum trajectory contribution. Finally, by properly superposing the harmonics, some attosecond X-ray pulses shorter than 35 as can be produced.     

Chirp control on molecular harmonic generation and distribution in H2+

Chirp control on the molecular harmonic emission and distribution in H₂⁺ has been theoretically investigated. The results show that (i) with the introduction of the up-chirped pulse, the intensities of the higher harmonics are decreased; while with the introduction of the down-chirped pulse, the intensities of the higher harmonics can be enhanced. When E(t) < 0.0, the harmonic emission events (HEEs) from the positive-H are higher than those from the negative-H; while when E(t) > 0.0, the HEEs from the negative-H are higher than those from the positive-H. As a result, when the higher harmonics are produced from E(t) < 0.0 or E(t) > 0.0, the positive-H or the negative-H plays the main role in the harmonic spectra. (ii) The distribution of the higher harmonics from the two-H nuclei can be controlled with the introduction of the chirps and the carrier-envelope-phases of the laser field. (iii) Some minima on the harmonic spectra can be obtained, which is attributed to the coupling of the two-center interference and the electron-nuclear dynamics. (iv) By properly superposing the harmonics from the down-chirped pulse, an isolated attosecond pulse (IAP) with the duration of 45 as can be obtained, which is nearly 1 order of magnitude enhancement in pulse intensity compared with the chirp- free case.