Generation of isolated intense vortex laser with transverse angular momentum

Abstract

A scheme is proposed to explore the generation of isolated intense vortex laser pulse with transverse angular momentum (AM), which implies that the total AM is non-collinear with the propagation direction. When two non-collinear vortex beams impinge on a solid thin target symmetrically on the same side, the generated harmonics containing the contributions of the two input pulses are emitted from the target at a predicted angle. The longitudinal AM of the harmonics can be predicted from the AM conservation regarding the photons involved in the high-harmonic generation process. The asymmetry of the energy flux in the vertical direction is confirmed as the transverse AM generation source. As an example, the related phenomenon of the fourth order harmonic has been well confirmed by theoretical analysis and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations.

Keywords

• orbital angular momentum
• relativistic vortex laser
• high harmonics generation
• non-collinear
• plasma target