Coulomb corrections and polarization effects in high-intensity high-harmonic emission

We describe a quasiclassical approach to correct electron motion following tunneling ionization in intense laser fields, for the presence of the Coulomb potential. The technique is applied to model the dependence of high-harmonic generation on the ellipticity of the incident laser field. We present experimental data on the harmonics with photon energies close to the ionization potential of an atom, identify their source, and explain their unusual dependence on the ellipticity of the incident laser field. Our calculations are in good agreement with experimental data. © 1996 The American Physical Society.