Polarization properties of coherent VUV light at 125 nm generated by sum frequency four wave mixing in mercury

Abstract

International audienceThe polarization of the VUV light generated by four-wave sum frequency mixing process w4 = 2w1 +w2 in mercury vapor at room temperature is analyzed in detail. Due to the specific two-photon transition used to enhance the nonlinear process, the polarization of the VUV wave is shown to be identical to the polarization of the wave at the frequency w2. In particular, circularly polarized VUV is observed with degree of circular polarization exceeding 0.99