@article {2223, title = {Third-harmonic generation at a atmospheric pressure in methane by use of intense femtosecond pulses in the tight-focusing limit}, journal = {JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS}, volume = {16}, number = {5}, year = {1999}, month = {1999}, pages = {792 - 800}, abstract = {An experimental study of third-harmonic generation in methane with a 100-fs, 820-nm, Ti:sapphire laser in a tight focusing geometry is presented. The harmonic intensity and bandwidth were measured in a range of intensities extending from below to far above the first ionization threshold and at pressures as high as 10 atm (1 atm = 760 Torr). The harmonic signal follows a power-law dependence on laser intensity with an exponent of similar to 7 and saturates at an intensity I-s similar to 4 x 10(14) W/cm(2). The conversion efficiency was found to increase with the pressure for laser intensities smaller than the saturation intensity I-s and to decrease with the pressure at larger intensities. At laser intensities larger than the saturation intensity a substantial modification in the third-harmonic bandwidth and structure was observed. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America [S0740-3224(99)00905-4].}, keywords = {2-LEVEL ATOM, 3RD-HARMONIC GENERATION, AIR, BARRIER SUPPRESSION, CONVERSION, FIELD, IONIZATION, LASER-PULSES, Optics, RADIATION, RARE-GASES}, isbn = {0740-3224}, author = {Marcus, G. and Zigler, A. and Henis, Z.} }