Ultraviolet supercontinuum generation driven by ionic coherence in a strong laser field

Hongbin Lei, Jinping Yao (), Jing Zhao, Hongqiang Xie, Fangbo Zhang, He Zhang, Ning Zhang, Guihua Li, Qian Zhang, Xiaowei Wang, Yan Yang, Luqi Yuan, Ya Cheng and Zengxiu Zhao ()
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Hongbin Lei: National University of Defense Technology
Jinping Yao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jing Zhao: National University of Defense Technology
Hongqiang Xie: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fangbo Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
He Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ning Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guihua Li: East China Jiaotong University
Qian Zhang: National University of Defense Technology
Xiaowei Wang: National University of Defense Technology
Yan Yang: National University of Defense Technology
Luqi Yuan: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Ya Cheng: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zengxiu Zhao: National University of Defense Technology

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Supercontinuum (SC) light sources hold versatile applications in many fields ranging from imaging microscopic structural dynamics to achieving frequency comb metrology. Although such broadband light sources are readily accessible in the visible and near infrared regime, the ultraviolet (UV) extension of SC spectrum is still challenging. Here, we demonstrate that the joint contribution of strong field ionization and quantum resonance leads to the unexpected UV continuum radiation spanning the 100 nm bandwidth in molecular nitrogen ions. Quantum coherences in a bunch of ionic levels are found to be created by dynamic Stark-assisted multiphoton resonances following tunneling ionization. We show that the dynamical evolution of the coherence-enhanced polarization wave gives rise to laser-assisted continuum emission inside the laser field and free-induction decay after the laser field, which jointly contribute to the SC generation together with fifth harmonics. As proof of principle, we also show the application of the SC radiation in the absorption spectroscopy. This work offers an alternative scheme for constructing exotic SC sources, and opens up the territory of ionic quantum optics in the strong-field regime.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31824-0

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