Separation of Target Structure and Medium Propagation Effects in High-Harmonic Generation

Abstract

We calculate high-harmonic generation (HHG) by intense infrared lasers in atoms and molecules with the inclusion of macroscopic propagation of the harmonics in the gas medium. We show that the observed experimental spectra can be accurately reproduced theoretically despite the sensitivities of the HHG spectra to the experimental conditions. We further demonstrate that the simulated (or experimental) HHG spectra can be factored out as a product of a 'macroscopic wave packet' and the photo-recombination transition dipole moment where the former depends on the laser properties and the experimental conditions, while the latter is the property of the target only. The factorization makes it possible to extract target structure from experimental HHG spectra, and for ultrafast dynamic imaging of transient molecules.

Department(s)

Physics

Keywords and Phrases

Experimental Conditions; Experimental Spectra; Gas Medium; High Harmonic Generation; Laser Property; Propagation Effect; Target Structure; Transient Molecules; Transition Dipole Moments; Ultra-Fast Dynamics, Harmonic Analysis; Harmonic Generation; Isomers, Infrared Lasers

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0953-4075

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd., All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 May 2011

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