Nonperturbative theory of harmonic generation in helium under a high-intensity laser field: The role of intermediate resonance and of the ion

The time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the helium atom with a model potential is solved on a numerical grid. The effects of intermediate-state resonance and of the ionization of the atom upon the harmonic generation are investigated. We also evaluate the contribution of the helium ion when the laser intensity is sufficiently high for most of the atoms to be ionized during the laser pulse. We find that the harmonics with order higher than 13 are due to the ion when the photon energy is 5.0 eV, while for photon energy 2.0 eV the atom produces up to about the 49th harmonic.