Role of electron scattering on the high-order harmonic generation from solids

Abstract

We extend the semiclassical trajectory description for the high-order harmonic generation (HHG) from solids by integrating the effect of electron-scattering. Comparing the extended semiclassical trajectory model with a one-dimensional quantum mechanical simulation, we find that the multiplateau feature of the HHG spectrum is formed by Umklapp scattering under the electron-hole acceleration dynamics by laser fields. Furthermore, by tracing the scattered trajectories in real-space, the model fairly describes the emitted photon energy and the emission timing of the HHG even in the higher plateau regions. We further consider the loss of trajectories by scattering processes with a mean-free-path approximation and evaluate the HHG cutoff energy as a function of laser wavelength. As a result, we find that the trajectory loss by scattering causes the wavelength independence of the HHG from solids.