Polarization gating and circularly-polarized high harmonic generation using plasmonic enhancement in metal nanostructures

We investigate possibilities to utilize field enhancement by specifically designed metal nanostructures for the generation of single attosecond pulses using the polarization gating technique. We predict the generation of isolated 59-attosecond-long pulses using 15-fs pump pulses with only a 0.6 TW/cm(2) intensity. Our simulations also indicate the possibility to generate previously inaccessible high-harmonics with circular polarization by using an ensemble of vertically and horizontally orientated bow-tie structures. In the numerical simulation we used an extended Lewenstein model, which includes the spatial inhomogeneity in the hot spots and collisions of electrons with the metal surface. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America