Competing processes in generation of the third optical harmonic in air under femtosecond infrared repetitively pulsed excitation

Abstract

Parametric interaction of electromagnetic and gravitational waves with the radiation generation at the third harmonic wavelength is one of the ways to detect gravitational interaction in a material medium. To implement the effect in question, superstrong fields must be used, but in this case competing nonlinear processes arise, leading to the generation of the third harmonic as a result of laser radiation filamentation. This paper investigates the characteristics of the radiation recorded for femtosecond (250 fs) laser pulses with a wavelength of λ = 1032 nm focused in air. The threshold pump power made it possible to observe the formation of a filament with concomitant generation of narrow-band radiation at the focus of the lens at the third harmonic wavelength λ = 344 nm. The research presents spectral and spatial dependences of ultraviolet radiation (λ = 344 nm) at pumping power of infrared radiation (λ = 1032 nm) of 500 mW. Energy dependences of the third harmonic generation efficiency in the power range from 150 to 1750 mW are obtained.