Spatial shaping of high-order harmonics using vortex beams enables precise control over the phase, intensity, and orbital angular momentum of extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray radiation. By driving high-harmonic generation with structured vortex light, the generated harmonics inherit well-defined topological charge, resulting in helically phased wavefronts and tailored spatial profiles.

This approach allows harmonic beams to be engineered beyond conventional Gaussian modes, offering new degrees of freedom for manipulating light–matter interactions at the nanoscale. The transfer and scaling of orbital angular momentum from the driving field to the harmonics provide a powerful mechanism for creating complex beam geometries with high spatial coherence.

Key capabilities

• Controlled orbital angular momentum transfer across harmonic orders
• Tailored spatial intensity and phase distributions
• Topologically structured EUV and soft X-ray beams
• High coherence and mode purity

Applications

• Nanoscale and chiral imaging
• Magnetic and spin-resolved spectroscopy
• Coherent diffractive imaging with structured illumination
• Probing symmetry and topology in quantum materials

By combining vortex-driven excitation with high-harmonic generation, spatial shaping of harmonics opens new pathways for advanced imaging, spectroscopy, and fundamental studies of structured light in the short-wavelength regime.