Open AccessHigh-power fifth-harmonic generation of femtosecond pulses in the vacuum ultraviolet using a Ti:sapphire laser
Author(s) -
Pancho Tzankov,
Oliver Steinkellner,
Jian Zheng,
Mark Mero,
Wolfgang Freyer,
Anton Husakou,
Ihar Babushkin,
Joachim Herrmann,
F. Noack
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.15.006389
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , laser , femtosecond , sapphire , high harmonic generation , ti:sapphire laser , harmonic , pulse (music) , ultrashort pulse , pulse duration , waveguide , argon , optoelectronics , physics , atomic physics , quantum mechanics , detector
We demonstrate the generation of fifth-harmonic pulses at 161 nm, with an energy of up to 600 nJ and 160 fs pulse duration from a Ti:sapphire laser at 1 kHz repetition rate by four-wave difference-frequency mixing in argon-filled waveguides. The efficiency is greatly improved by coupling to higher-order transverse modes, as well as by coating the inner surface of the waveguide. A numerical model of the process yields an understanding of the main effects influencing the harmonic generation.