Experimental study of harmonic generation from solid surfaces irradiated by multipicosecond laser pulses - art. no. 026402

An experimental study is presented on harmonic generation from solid surfac es using 27 ps Nd:glass laser pulses (lambda =1053 nm) in the intensity ran ge of 10(13)-10(15) W cm(-2). Second, third, and fourth harmonics emitted i n the specular reflection direction showed intensity scaling exponents of 1 .5, 1.8, and 3.8 for an obliquely incident p-polarized laser beam, providin g a conversion efficiency of 2x10(-8), 10(-10), and 5 x 10(-12) at 10(15) W cm(-2), respectively. Second and third harmonic radiation generated using a n s-polarized pump was about 10 and 100 times smaller, respectively, compar ed to that for the p-polarized laser radiation. Faraday rotation observed i n the reflected fundamental radiation can explain the relative harmonic yie lds for the p and s polarizations of the pump beam.