High-order harmonic generation of picosecond laser radiation in carbon-containing plasmas

A study of the high-order harmonic generation of picosecond laser radiation in the carbon-containing plasmas is reported. The materials studied for plasma formation were the graphite, glassy carbon, pyrographite, boron carbide, silicon carbide, and pencil lead. We show that picosecond pulses (t=38  ps) can be efficiently converted in the short wavelength range using the laser-produced plasmas. We also demonstrate the resonance-induced enhancement of the seventh harmonic of Nd:YAG laser (152 nm), which few times exceeded the intensity of the fifth harmonic.