Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics

Relativistic surface harmonics driven by high-intensity lasers are considered a promising future light source, as their bandwidth and brightness are scalable with the driving laser power. Typically, the emission frequencies of these sources are limited to integer multiples of the laser fundamental f...

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Main Authors: Elkana Porat, Itamar Cohen, Assaf Levanon, Ishay Pomerantz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2022-05-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L022036
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author Elkana Porat
Itamar Cohen
Assaf Levanon
Ishay Pomerantz
author_facet Elkana Porat
Itamar Cohen
Assaf Levanon
Ishay Pomerantz
author_sort Elkana Porat
collection DOAJ
description Relativistic surface harmonics driven by high-intensity lasers are considered a promising future light source, as their bandwidth and brightness are scalable with the driving laser power. Typically, the emission frequencies of these sources are limited to integer multiples of the laser fundamental frequency. In this Letter, we describe how the generation dynamics of these harmonics may enable spectral detuning of their frequencies. A dent in the plasma surface driven by the radiation pressure of the laser field grows during the interaction and varies the harmonic beam divergence. When a temporal chirp is added to the driving laser pulse, different instantaneous fundamental frequencies drive the harmonic beam to different cone angles, resulting in an overall spectral detuning of the high harmonics beam. We present experimental measurements of the dependence of the spectral detuning on the temporal chirp of the driving pulse. We show how these results are reproduced by our model, and conclude with its predictions for higher intensity laser systems.
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spelling doaj.art-54500d5cb56f413a9734e7790a451c382024-04-12T17:20:53ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642022-05-0142L02203610.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L022036Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonicsElkana PoratItamar CohenAssaf LevanonIshay PomerantzRelativistic surface harmonics driven by high-intensity lasers are considered a promising future light source, as their bandwidth and brightness are scalable with the driving laser power. Typically, the emission frequencies of these sources are limited to integer multiples of the laser fundamental frequency. In this Letter, we describe how the generation dynamics of these harmonics may enable spectral detuning of their frequencies. A dent in the plasma surface driven by the radiation pressure of the laser field grows during the interaction and varies the harmonic beam divergence. When a temporal chirp is added to the driving laser pulse, different instantaneous fundamental frequencies drive the harmonic beam to different cone angles, resulting in an overall spectral detuning of the high harmonics beam. We present experimental measurements of the dependence of the spectral detuning on the temporal chirp of the driving pulse. We show how these results are reproduced by our model, and conclude with its predictions for higher intensity laser systems.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L022036
spellingShingle Elkana Porat
Itamar Cohen
Assaf Levanon
Ishay Pomerantz
Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
Physical Review Research
title Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
title_full Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
title_fullStr Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
title_full_unstemmed Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
title_short Spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
title_sort spectral detuning of relativistic surface harmonics
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.L022036
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AT itamarcohen spectraldetuningofrelativisticsurfaceharmonics
AT assaflevanon spectraldetuningofrelativisticsurfaceharmonics
AT ishaypomerantz spectraldetuningofrelativisticsurfaceharmonics