Attosecond Extreme Ultraviolet Vortices from High-Order Harmonic Generation

Abstract

We present a theoretical study of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) and propagation driven by an infrared field carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM). Our calculations unveil the following relevant phenomena: extreme-ultraviolet harmonic vortices are generated and survive to the propagation effects, vortices transport high-OAM multiples of the corresponding OAM of the driving field and, finally, the different harmonic vortices are emitted with similar divergence. We also show the possibility of combining OAM and HHG phase locking to produce attosecond pulses with helical pulse structure.