Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:physics/0004045 · Physical Review A

High-order harmonic generation from a confined atom

Carla Figueira de Morisson Faria, Jan Michael Rost

Published Oct 18, 2000• 21 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The order of high harmonics emitted by an atom in an intense laser field is limited by the so-called cutoff frequency. Solving the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation, we show that this frequency can be increased considerably by a parabolic confining potential, if the confinement parameters are suitably chosen. Furthermore, due to confinement, the radiation intensity remains high throughout the extended emission range. All features observed can be explained with classical arguments.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.62.051402

Related papers

Nonclassical light generation and control from laser-driven semiconductor intraband excitations

Ivan Gonoskov, René Sondenheimer, Christian Hünecke +3 more

The generation of higher-order harmonic radiation originating from the interaction of intense laser pulses with matter is typically described semiclassically: While the electronic structure and dynamics of matter is described quantum mechanically, the intense light field is described classically---and accordingly the generated harmonic radiation. However, pioneering experiments on quantum optical properties of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in atomic gases from the group of P. Tzallas [I. Gonoskov et al., Sci. Rep. 6, 32821 (2016) and N. Tsatrafyllis et al., Nat. Commun. 8, 15170 (2017)], and theoretical investigations from the group of M. Lewenstein [M. Lewenstein et al., Nat. Phys. 17, 1104 (2021) and P. Stammer et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 123603 (2022)] have impressively demonstrated that light's quantum properties are observable in the strong-field realm. In this paper, we develop a quantum optical description of HHG in a bulk semiconductor originating from the nonlinear Bloch current. This mechanism of HHG, known as the intraband current, constitutes the major contribution to the emission spectrum for harmonic with energies of quanta roughly below the bandgap. Under certain approximations, employing a quantum description of both light and matter, we obtain analytical solutions, which allow us to analyze the classical and quantum optical characteristics of the fundamental mode of light and the harmonic modes. We find intricate but sufficiently mild modifications of the photon statistics of the fundamental mode and coherent displacements depending on the parameters of the driving laser field. Similar to high-harmonic generation in atoms, the fundamental and emitted harmonic field modes are entangled. Moreover, our analytical model predicts parameter ranges where these quantum optical properties will be most pronounced, allowing protocols for quantum information processing with high photon numbers over a large range of frequencies.

Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Mar 7, 2024•23 citations

High-order harmonic generation and parametric oscillations

Emilio Fiordilino

The differential equation of the mean electric-dipole moment induced by a laser field in a two-level atom is that of a driven parametric oscillator with time-dependent frequency. In the case of a laser field with constant intensity, a connection with the Mathieu equation is stated and it is shown from the known theory that the spectrum emitted must present only odd harmonics of the pumping field.

Physical Review A•Jan 1, 1999•15 citations

Nonperturbative theory of harmonic generation in helium under a high-intensity laser field: The role of intermediate resonance and of the ion

Huale Xu, Xian Tang, P. Lambropoulos

The time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for the helium atom with a model potential is solved on a numerical grid. The effects of intermediate-state resonance and of the ionization of the atom upon the harmonic generation are investigated. We also evaluate the contribution of the helium ion when the laser intensity is sufficiently high for most of the atoms to be ionized during the laser pulse. We find that the harmonics with order higher than 13 are due to the ion when the photon energy is 5.0 eV, while for photon energy 2.0 eV the atom produces up to about the 49th harmonic.

Physical Review A•Sep 1, 1992•68 citations

Two-Photon Resonant Third Order Harmonic Generation from Atoms and Ions Interacting with Intense Short Laser Pulses

Young Soon Kim, Jung Seock Choi, Baek Il Nam +4 more

We investigate the third order harmonic generation for model atoms interacting with intense short laser pulses. We focus on the cases where the ponderomotive energy is not big enough to generate high-order harmonics, and where resonant transitions between bound states are also as important as multi-photon ionization and low-order harmonic generation. We find that the third order harmonic intensity from a model hydrogen atom can decrease as the laser frequency draws near a resonance between bound states. We explain this result by looking into the ionization and Rabi oscillation from the numerical calculation of the time-dependent 1-D Schrödinger equation. In order to support our explanation we also investigate the populations of bound states that play an important role in this atomic process.

Key engineering materials•Jan 15, 2005•1 citation

Time profile of harmonics generated by a single atom in a strong electromagnetic field

Philippe Antoine, Bernard Piraux, A. Maquet

It is well established, both experimentally and theoretically, that atoms exposed to a strong laser pulse emit high order harmonics of the driving field. Although this process has been intensively studied theoretically, the main effort has been focused so far on the study of the harmonic spectrum while no attempt has been made to analyse systematically its time evolution. We show that the time profile of each harmonic may be obtained through a time-frequency analysis of the acceleration of the atomic dipole. We show also that such an analysis, which is very sensitive to the details of the dynamics, provides valuable information about the competition between photon emission and ionization processes.

High Field Interactions and Short Wavelength Generation•Jan 1, 1994•6 citations

Prospects of odd and even harmonic generation by an atom in a high-intensity laser field

Anna V. Bogatskaya, E A Volkova, A M Popov

Abstract A new approach for studying the spontaneous emission of an atomic system in the presence of a high-intensity laser field is used to study the process of harmonic generation. The analysis is based on consideration of quantum system interaction, with the quantized field modes being in the vacuum state, while the intense laser field is considered to be classically beyond perturbation theory. The numerical analysis of the emission from the single one-electron 1D atom irradiated by the femtosecond laser pulse of a Ti:Sa laser is discussed. It is demonstrated that not only odd, but also even harmonics can be emitted if the laser field is strong enough. The origin of the appearance of even harmonics is studied. The obtained results are compared with those found in the framework of the semiclassical approach that is widely used to study harmonic generation. It is found that the semiclassical approach is inapplicable in the strong-field limit.

arXiv:1702.03742•Laser Physics Letters•Mar 14, 2017•13 citations
The order of high harmonics emitted by an atom in an intense laser field is limited by the so-called cutoff frequency. Solving the time-dependent Schr"odinger equation, we show that this frequency can be increased considerably by a parabolic confining potential, if the confinement parameters are suitably chosen. Furthermore, due to confinement, the radiation intensity remains high throughout the extended emission range. All features observed can be explained with classical arguments.
The generation of higher-order harmonic radiation originating from the interaction of intense laser pulses with matter is typically described semiclassically: While the electronic structure and dynamics of matter is described quantum mechanically, the intense light field is described classically---and accordingly the generated harmonic radiation. However, pioneering experiments on quantum optical properties of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in atomic gases from the group of P. Tzallas [I. Gonoskov et al., Sci. Rep. 6, 32821 (2016) and N. Tsatrafyllis et al., Nat. Commun. 8, 15170 (2017)], and theoretical investigations from the group of M. Lewenstein [M. Lewenstein et al., Nat. Phys. 17, 1104 (2021) and P. Stammer et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 123603 (2022)] have impressively demonstrated that light's quantum properties are observable in the strong-field realm. In this paper, we develop a quantum optical description of HHG in a bulk semiconductor originating from the nonlinear Bloch current. This mechanism of HHG, known as the intraband current, constitutes the major contribution to the emission spectrum for harmonic with energies of quanta roughly below the bandgap. Under certain approximations, employing a quantum description of both light and matter, we obtain analytical solutions, which allow us to analyze the classical and quantum optical characteristics of the fundamental mode of light and the harmonic modes. We find intricate but sufficiently mild modifications of the photon statistics of the fundamental mode and coherent displacements depending on the parameters of the driving laser field. Similar to high-harmonic generation in atoms, the fundamental and emitted harmonic field modes are entangled. Moreover, our analytical model predicts parameter ranges where these quantum optical properties will be most pronounced, allowing protocols for quantum information processing with high photon numbers over a large range of frequencies.
The time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for the helium atom with a model potential is solved on a numerical grid. The effects of intermediate-state resonance and of the ionization of the atom upon the harmonic generation are investigated. We also evaluate the contribution of the helium ion when the laser intensity is sufficiently high for most of the atoms to be ionized during the laser pulse. We find that the harmonics with order higher than 13 are due to the ion when the photon energy is 5.0 eV, while for photon energy 2.0 eV the atom produces up to about the 49th harmonic.
We investigate the third order harmonic generation for model atoms interacting with intense short laser pulses. We focus on the cases where the ponderomotive energy is not big enough to generate high-order harmonics, and where resonant transitions between bound states are also as important as multi-photon ionization and low-order harmonic generation. We find that the third order harmonic intensity from a model hydrogen atom can decrease as the laser frequency draws near a resonance between bound states. We explain this result by looking into the ionization and Rabi oscillation from the numerical calculation of the time-dependent 1-D Schrödinger equation. In order to support our explanation we also investigate the populations of bound states that play an important role in this atomic process.
It is well established, both experimentally and theoretically, that atoms exposed to a strong laser pulse emit high order harmonics of the driving field. Although this process has been intensively studied theoretically, the main effort has been focused so far on the study of the harmonic spectrum while no attempt has been made to analyse systematically its time evolution. We show that the time profile of each harmonic may be obtained through a time-frequency analysis of the acceleration of the atomic dipole. We show also that such an analysis, which is very sensitive to the details of the dynamics, provides valuable information about the competition between photon emission and ionization processes.
Abstract A new approach for studying the spontaneous emission of an atomic system in the presence of a high-intensity laser field is used to study the process of harmonic generation. The analysis is based on consideration of quantum system interaction, with the quantized field modes being in the vacuum state, while the intense laser field is considered to be classically beyond perturbation theory. The numerical analysis of the emission from the single one-electron 1D atom irradiated by the femtosecond laser pulse of a Ti:Sa laser is discussed. It is demonstrated that not only odd, but also even harmonics can be emitted if the laser field is strong enough. The origin of the appearance of even harmonics is studied. The obtained results are compared with those found in the framework of the semiclassical approach that is widely used to study harmonic generation. It is found that the semiclassical approach is inapplicable in the strong-field limit.