Abstract

Ever since the development of the laser, obtaining shorter and shorter pulses has been a major emphasis of laser science. Now it is possible to produce pulses of only a few periods duration over much of the visible and infrared spectrum. Clearly future developments of short pulse coherent sources require that shorter wavelength radiation be used. Harmonic radiation, generated when atoms or molecules are illuminated by strong laser fields, is the most promising source of the next generation of ultrashort pulses.

© 1994 Optical Society of America