Interference between Competing Pathways in Atomic Harmonic Generation

We investigate the influence of the autoionizing 3s3p(6)nl resonances on the fifth harmonic generated by 200-240 nm laser fields interacting with Ar. To determine the influence of a multielectron response we develop the capability within time-dependent R-matrix theory to determine the harmonic spectra generated. The fifth harmonic is affected by interference between the response of a 3s electron and the response of a 3p electron, as demonstrated by the asymmetric profiles in the harmonic yields as functions of wavelength.