High harmonic generation near a bow-tie nanostructure: sensitivity to carrier envelope phase and plasmonic inhomogeneity

High harmonic generation (HHG) from atoms near a plasmonic nanostructure interacting with a relatively low intensity driving laser field is a promising candidate for table top attosecond pulse source. The effect of carrier envelope phase (CEP) of the few cycle driving pulse on inhomogeneous high harmonics generation is well studied in literature, for example, the harmonic cut-off can be efficiently controlled by tuning the CEP. Here, we show selective enhancements of harmonic spectra due to half-cycle cutoff (HCO) which is highly sensitive to the CEP, in both spatially homogeneous and inhomogeneous driving laser fields. Essentially the selective enhancement of spectral structures results from contributions of both short and long trajectories in certain HCO regions. Compared to the homogeneous HHG in the presence of inhomogeneity, these enhanced groups eventually merge to the background with the increase of the strength of inhomogeneity. This limits the maximum possible tunability of selective enhancement. Further, near cut-off harmonics can be a good candidate to produce isolated attosecond pulses, with substantial control via CEP of the driving laser pulse along with the strength of inhomogeneity.

Automated summary

High harmonic generation (HHG) from atoms near a plasmonic nanostructure interacting with a low intensity driving laser field has the potential to be a table top attosecond pulse source. The carrier envelope phase (CEP) of the driving pulse can efficiently control the harmonic cut-off. Selective enhancements of harmonic spectra due to half-cycle cutoff (HCO) are shown to be highly sensitive to the CEP, in both spatially homogeneous and inhomogeneous driving laser fields. Near cut-off harmonics can be a good candidate for producing isolated attosecond pulses, with control via CEP and the strength of inhomogeneity.