Spatial shaping of low- and high-order harmonics generated using vortex beams

Abstract

We demonstrate the generation of the low- and high-order harmonic vortex beams from a single spiral phase plate (SPP) illuminated by different laser wavelengths. The second harmonic (532 nm) originates from the application of the wavefront-structured 1064 nm femtosecond pulses with fractional orbital angular momentum during propagation through a lithium triborate crystal, while the third harmonic (500 nm) originates from the application of the wavefront-structured near-IR (1500 nm) femtosecond pulses with integer orbital angular momentum during propagation through a 150 µm thick fused silica plate. The topological charges of the second and third harmonics are measured and compared. The increase in topological charge and the peculiarities in orbital angular momentum variations during modification of the polarisation of the incident radiation are analyzed and discussed. The two-color-pump-driven second-harmonic vortex radiation interacted with an Ar gas jet to generate vortex harmonics up to the 14th order with double-lobe complex spatial profiles in the extreme ultraviolet region.