Strong chiral response in non-collinear high harmonic generation driven by purely electric-dipole interactions
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: High harmonic generation (HHG) records the ultrafast electronic response of matter to light, encoding key properties of the interrogated quantum system, such as chirality. The first implementation of chiral HHG [Cireasa et al, Nat. Phys.11, 654 (2015)10.1038/nphys3369] relied on the weak electronic response of a medium of randomly oriented chiral molecules to the magnetic component of an elliptically polarized wave, yielding relatively weak chiro-optical signals. Here we apply state-of-the-art semi-analytical modelling to show that elliptically polarized light can drive a strong chiral response in chiral molecules via purely electric-dipole interactions - the magnetic component of the wave does not participate at all. This strong chiro-optical response, which remains hidden in standard HHG experiments, can be mapped into the macroscopic far-field signal using a non-collinear configuration, creating new opportunities for imaging chiral matter and chiral dynamics on ultrafast time scales.
Source: Optics Express
DOI: 10.1364/oe.444210
Authors: David Ayuso, Andres F. Ordonez, Piero Decleva, Misha Ivanov, Olga Smirnova
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,270
Funders: Fundación Cellex, Centres de Recerca de Catalunya, Royal Society, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Generalitat de Catalunya, Fundación Mig-Puig, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Awards: G1322453578, G1580814116, G169161837, G1763006868, G1908469581, G2189472788, G2262748287, Structured electric-dipole-based chirality, G2763573136, G2916671453, G2918952967, G3005324705, G311755852, G3288897321, G3480869486, G3596968109, G385971032, G4209553258, G4391008399, G5045220161, G5080475149, G5175525644, G5554424168, G6042476671, G6069705845, G6482940084, G6656126374, G6776588026, G683931746, G7425137858, G8180681537, G8201059045, G8224804186, G8598254347, G8684520763, MURI - MIR, G8835344385, G8850987110
OpenAlex ID: W4200599829