Propagation effects in high-harmonic generation from dielectric thin films

TL;DR

This study uses first-principles simulations to explore how light propagation influences high-harmonic generation in silicon thin films, revealing thickness-dependent behaviors and distinct generation mechanisms for transmitted and reflected harmonics.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical analysis of propagation effects in HHG from dielectric thin films using TDDFT, highlighting the origins and mechanisms of harmonic generation.

Findings

Transmission HHG intensity decreases with thickness

Reflection HHG remains constant beyond a certain thickness

Different generation mechanisms dominate depending on film thickness and harmonic frequency

Abstract

Theoretical investigation is conducted of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) in silicon thin films to elucidate the effect of light propagation in reflected and transmitted waves. The first-principles simulations are performed of the process in which an intense pulsed light irradiates silicon thin films up to 3 $\mu$m thickness. Our simulations are carried within the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) with the account of coupled dynamics of the electromagnetic fields and the electronic motion. It was found that the intensity of transmission HHG gradually decreases with the thickness, while the reflection HHG becomes constant from a certain thickness. Detailed analyses show that transmission HHG have two origins: the HHG generated near the front edge and propagating to the back surface, and that generated near the back edge and emitted directly. The dominating mechanism of the transmission HHG is found to depend on the thickness of the thin film and the frequency of the HHG. At the film thickness of 1 $\mu$m, the transmission HHG with the frequency below 20 eV is generated near the back edge, while that with the frequency above 20 eV is generated near the front edge and propagates from there to the back surface.