High order harmonics generation from argon gas was comprehensively investigated by using multi-cycle and few-cycle laser pulses. Non-odd order harmonics were observed for sub-5-fs pulses, compare to the normal odd-order harmonics in the multi-cycle case. Theoretic analysis shows that the new spectral structure origins from the asymmetry of laser field in few-cycle pulses. This asymmetry induced both amplitude and phase difference between attosecond pulses from consecutive half-cycle of the laser field, which change the interference property of attosecond pulses and result in complex spectrum.

© 2011 OSA

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Chin. Phys. B

• C. Yun, H. Teng, W. Zhang, M. Zhan, H. Han, X. Zhong, Z. Wei, B. Wang, and X. Hou, “High-order harmonic generation by few-cycle and multi-cycle femtosecond laser pulses,” Chin. Phys. B19(12), 124210 (2010). [CrossRef]

Chin. Phys. Lett.

• W. Zhang, H. Teng, C. Yun, X. Zhong, H. Hou, and Z. Wei, “Generation of sub-2-cycle optical pulses with a differentially pumped hollow fiber,” Chin. Phys. Lett.27(5), 054211 (2010). [CrossRef]

J. Phys. At. Mol. Opt. Phys.

• B. Wang, X. Li, and P. Fu, “The effects of a static electric field on high-order harmonic generation,” J. Phys. At. Mol. Opt. Phys.31(9), 1961–1972 (1998). [CrossRef]

Nature

• R. Kienberger, E. Goulielmakis, M. Uiberacker, A. Baltuska, V. Yakovlev, F. Bammer, A. Scrinzi, Th. Westerwalbesloh, U. Kleineberg, U. Heinzmann, M. Drescher, and F. Krausz, “Atomic transient recorder,” Nature427(6977), 817–821 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• T. Pfeifer, L. Gallmann, M. J. Abel, D. M. Neumark, and S. R. Leone, “Single attosecond pulse generation in the multicycle-driver regime by adding a weak second-harmonic field,” Opt. Lett.31(7), 975–977 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Phys. Rev. A

• C. Liu, S. Gong, R. Li, and Z. Xu, “Coherent control in the generation of harmonics and hyper-Raman lines from a strongly driven two-level atom,” Phys. Rev. A69(2), 023406 (2004). [CrossRef]
• K. L. Ishikawa, “Efficient photoemission and ionization of He+ by a combined fundamental laser and high-order harmonic pulse,” Phys. Rev. A70(1), 013412 (2004). [CrossRef]
• C. Liu and T. Nakajima, “Controlling the strong field dynamics by a time-delayed near- and mid-infrared two-color laser field,” Phys. Rev. A78(6), 063424 (2008). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. Lett.

• M. Nisoli, G. Sansone, S. Stagira, S. De Silvestri, C. Vozzi, M. Pascolini, L. Poletto, P. Villoresi, and G. Tondello, “Effects of carrier-envelope phase differences of few-optical-cycle light pulses in single-shot high-order-harmonic spectra,” Phys. Rev. Lett.91(21), 213905 (2003). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• E. Mansten, J. M. Dahlstrom, J. Mauritsson, T. Ruchon, A. L’huillier, J. Tate, M. B. Gaarde, P. Eckle, A. Guandalini, M. Holler, F. Schapper, L. Gallmann, and U. Keller, “Spectral signature of short attosecond pulse trains,” Phys. Rev. Lett.102(8), 083002 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• H. Mashiko, S. Gilbertson, C. Li, S. D. Khan, M. M. Shakya, E. Moon, and Z. Chang, “Double optical gating of high-order harmonic generation with carrier-envelope phase stabilized lasers,” Phys. Rev. Lett.100(10), 103906 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• P. Salieres, A. L’Huillier, and M. Lewenstein, “Coherence control of high-order harmonics,” Phys. Rev. Lett.74(19), 3776–3779 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Rev. Mod. Phys.

• T. Brabec and F. Krausz, “Intense few-cycle laser fields: Frontiers of nonlinear optics,” Rev. Mod. Phys.72(2), 545–591 (2002). [CrossRef]
• F. Krausz, “Attosecond physics,” Rev. Mod. Phys.81(1), 163–234 (2009). [CrossRef]

Science

• G. Sansone, E. Benedetti, F. Calegari, C. Vozzi, L. Avaldi, R. Flammini, L. Poletto, P. Villoresi, C. Altucci, R. Velotta, S. Stagira, S. De Silvestri, and M. Nisoli, “Isolated single-cycle attosecond pulses,” Science314(5798), 443–446 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

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