Observation of high-order harmonics produced by relativistic laser-plasma interaction

Kando, Masaki; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; Gallegos, P.*; Ahmed, H.*; Ragozin, E. N.*; Faenov, A.*; Pikuz, T.*; Kawachi, Tetsuya; Sagisaka, Akito; Koga, J. K.; Coury, M.*; Green, J.*; Foster, P.*; Brenner, C.*; Dromey, B.*; Symes, D. R.*; Mori, Michiaki; Kawase, Keigo*; Kameshima, Takashi*; Fukuda, Yuji; Chen, L. M.*; Daito, Izuru; Ogura, Koichi; Hayashi, Yukio; Kotaki, Hideyuki; Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Okada, Hajime; Nishimori, Nobuyuki; Kondo, Kiminori; Kimura, Toyoaki*; Tajima, Toshiki; Daido, Hiroyuki; Rajeev, P.*; McKenna, P.*; Borghesi, M.*; Neely, D.*; Kato, Yoshiaki ; Bulanov, S. V.

When we focus laser pulses to the relativistic intensities (10 W/cm) in helium plasma, modulated spectra in the ultraviolet region (80- 300 eV) are observed in the forward direction. Some spectra contain odd and even high harmonics of the nearly fundamental frequency of the laser, continuum frequencies, and modulated structures. When we use a higher peak power laser (50-170 TW, 50fs), these spectral features are reproduced almost 100% probability. Also these spectra are observed when the laser polarization is changed to circular. The mechanism observed in our experiment is different from usual high-harmonics from gas targets, betatron radiation of electrons in wakefield, or nonlinear Thomson scattering due to above experimental conditions and results. We propose a theoretical model that electron density cusps formed by intense laser pulses radiate coherently. The validity of the model is confirmed with computer simulations.