Collection Overview 

Scientific Reports has launched a Guest-Edited Collection on High harmonic generation.

This Collection brings together original research on high harmonic generation, focusing on the underlying physical mechanisms and on the next generation of experimental setups. It also highlights the latest developments in the applications of high harmonic generation, including ultrafast dynamics, high-resolution imaging, and the generation of attosecond pulses. By exploring these diverse aspects, this Collection aims to advance high harmonic generation research.

High harmonic generation (HHG) is a nonlinear optical process that has garnered significant interest due to its potential applications in attosecond science, spectroscopy, and imaging. This phenomenon involves the conversion of intense laser fields into high-frequency harmonics, producing coherent light sources in the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray regions. Advances in laser technology and experimental techniques have enabled researchers to achieve higher harmonic orders and better control over the HHG process.

This will be a Collection of original research papers  and will be open for submissions from all authors – on the condition that the manuscripts fall within the scope of the Collection and of Scientific Reports more generally. We are welcoming submissions until 3rd September 2026.

Why is this Collection important?

""High harmonic generation (HHG) is a topic with high relevance and breadth, because it combines :
(i) the expansion of the electromagnetic spectrum into previously hard to reach regions, e.g. from NIR to XUV or from the sub-terahertz (THz) to the THz region. This expansion of the electromagnetic spectrum enable new scientific insights, e.g. via ultrafast time-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. In addition, technological relevance for future fast and efficient information technology lies in the transition from electronically driven sub-THz sources to the THz regime.
(ii) new insights into elementary processes in many kinds of matter. Elucidating the mechanisms behind HHG gives insight into highly nonlinear charge-carrier dynamics in condensed matter and gases. In the THz range, HHG is shaping up as a valuable tool to examine a large variety of processes, from intraband dynamics in Dirac materials to dynamics of the superconducting condensate (Higgs spectroscopy) or phase transitions in e.g. Mott systems. 
This Collection can serve as a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art of this diverse and expanding field.""

- Dr. Jan-Christoph Deinert, Guest Editor

Why submit to a collection?  

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors, who are experts in their fields, and In-House Editors and are supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.  

Who is involved?

Guest Editors:

• Jan-Christoph Deinert, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany
• Nicolas Douguet, University of Central Florida, USA
• Shambhu Ghimire, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, USA

Internal Team:

• In-House Editor: Silvia Butera Scientific Reports, UK
• Commissioning Editor: Robert Moran, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK
• Managing Editor: Rebecca Chan, Fully OA Brands, Springer Nature, UK

How can I submit my paper?

Visit the Collection page for more information on the Collection, and how to submit your article.