Control of third harmonic generation by plasma grating generated by two noncollinear IR femtosecond filaments

Abstract

A plasma grating is formed by two femtosecond filaments, and the influence of probe filament on the plasma grating is shown. By using the plasma grating, the enhancement of the third harmonic (TH) generated from the probe filament is studied, and more than three orders of magnitude enhancement of TH generation is demonstrated as compared with that obtained from a single filament. The dependences of TH generation on the time delay, the spatial period of plasma grating, the relative polarization and the crossing position between the probe beam and the two pump beams are investigated. The spectral broadening of TH generated from the probe filament induced by the interaction between the probe filament and the plasma grating is also studied.