Pure even and odd harmonics produced in modeled hydrogen molecular ions in single-color strong laser fields

Abstract

The even and odd high-order harmonic generation in a modeled hydrogen molecular ion in strong laser fields is studied by numerically simulating the time-dependent Schrodinger equation. By applying a linearly polarized laser pulse whose polarization axis is perpendicular to the molecular axis, the pure odd harmonics polarized along the laser polarization direction are produced. Meanwhile, the pure even harmonics polarized along the molecular axis may be produced simultaneously either by adding an extra weak direct-current electric field along the molecular axis, or by artificially setting asymmetric charges for the two nuclei. The Bohmian trajectories reveal that the pure even harmonics are contributed by the dipole formed by the asymmetric expansion of the ionized wave packet along the molecular axis, instead of the asymmetric Coulomb attraction for the rescattering electron as expected. Moreover, the relationship between the symmetry of molecular orbital and the parity of high-order harmonics is also explored.