Observation of Phase-Matched Relativistic Harmonic Generation

Authors

Shouyuan Chen, University of Michigan, Ann ArborFollow
Anatoly Maksimchuk, University of MichiganFollow
Eric Esarey, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CaliforniaFollow
Donald P. Umstadter, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

6-12-2000

Comments

Published by American Physical Society. Physical Review Letters 84, 5528 (2000). http://prl.aps.org. Copyright © 2000 American Physical Society. Permission to use.

Abstract

Phase-matched relativistic harmonic generation in plasmas is observed for the first time. Third-harmonic light is detected and discriminated spectrally and angularly from the harmonics generated from competing processes. Its angular pattern is a narrow forward-directed cone, which is consistent with phase matching of a high-order transverse mode in a plasma. The signal level is found to be on the same order of magnitude for a circularly polarized pump pulse as for a linearly polarized pump pulse.