On the possibility of the generation of high harmonics with photon energies greater than 10 keV upon interaction of intense mid-IR radiation with neutral gases

Based on the analytical quantum-mechanical description in the framework of the modified strong-field approximation, we have investigated high harmonic generation of mid-IR laser radiation in neutral gases taking into account the depletion of bound atomic levels of the working medium and the electron magnetic drift in a high-intensity laser field. The possibility is shown to generate high-order harmonics with photon energies greater than 10 keV under irradiation of helium atoms by intense femtosecond laser pulses with a centre wavelength of 8 – 10.6 μm.