Frequency dependence of quantum path interference in non-collinear high-order harmonic generation**Project supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (Grant Nos. 2013CB922401 and 2013CB922402), the National Key Scientific Instrument and Equipment Development Projects, China (Grant No. 2012YQ12004704), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11374356), and the International Joint Research Program of National Natural Science Foundation

Abstract

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) driven by two non-collinear beams including a fundamental and its weak second harmonic is numerically studied. The interference of harmonics from adjacent electron quantum paths is found to be dependent on the relative delay of the driving pulse, and the dependences are different for different harmonic orders. This frequency dependence of the interference is attributed to the spatial frequency chirp in the HHG beam resulting from the harmonic dipole phase, which in turn provides a potential way to gain an insight into the generation of high-order harmonics. As an example, the intensity dependent dipole phase coefficient α is retrieved from the interference fringe.