Numerical characterization of high harmonic attosecond pulses.
A numerical simulation of attosecond harmonic pulse generation in a three-dimensional field-ionizing gas is presented. Calculated harmonic efficiencies quantitatively reproduce experimental findings. This allows a quantitative characterization of attosecond pulse generation revealing information currently not accessible by experiment. The rapid phase variation and spatiotemporal distortions of harmonics are smaller than anticipated, allowing focusing of 30-nm, 750-as pulses to intensities in excess of 10(13) W/cm(2). Feasibility of such pulses brings novel applications such as extreme ultraviolet nonlinear optics and attosecond pump probe spectroscopy within reach.
Milosevic
Nenad
N
Institut für Photonik, Technische Universität Wien, Gusshausstrasse 27/387, A-1040 Vienna, Austria.
Scrinzi
Armin
A
Brabec
Thomas
T