Solid-State High-Order Harmonic Generation: Emerging Frontiers in Ultrafast and Quantum Light Science

Abstract

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) in solids has emerged as a versatile platform for exploring ultrafast and quantum-coherent phenomena in condensed matter. Recent advances reveal Berry-phase and topological effects in harmonic emission, strong-field control of excitons and lattice motion, the generation of nonclassical light states driven by quantum and squeezed fields, and the emergence of orbital-angular-momentum transfer in solid-state high-harmonic generation. Nanostructured and hybrid plasmonic-semiconductor platforms enable enhanced and spectrally tunable HHG, while interferometric and cryogenic setups allow attosecond-resolved phase measurements. On the theoretical side, multiband and topological models incorporating dephasing, propagation, and electron-hole coherence effects have deepened our understanding of the interplay between interband and intraband dynamics. These developments establish solid-state HHG as a bridge between ultrafast spectroscopy, quantum optics, and material science, paving the way toward quantum-engineered attosecond sources and coherent control of light-matter interactions in solids.

Figures (1)

• Figure 1: Conceptual map of emerging frontiers in solid-state high-harmonic generation (HHG). Quantum geometry/topology, many-body correlations, and quantum-optical control converge to define a unified framework where HHG acts simultaneously as a probe and generator of quantum-coherent light in solids.