High-order harmonic generation in light molecules: moving-nuclei semiclassical simulations

Abstract

A simple semiclassical approach has been proposed recently to describe the strong-field phenomena in molecules beyond the Born–Oppenheimer approximation. We use this approach to study high harmonic generation in molecules with moving nuclei. We study how the interplay between the vibrational and rotational excitations, as well as dissociation and ionization, influences the harmonic spectra from light molecules. Special attention is paid to the limitations imposed by the nuclear motion in light molecules on the observability of the two-centre recombination interference in molecular high harmonic generation. The possibilities of using the nuclear motion to control the temporal confinement of harmonic radiation are discussed.