Enhancement of third harmonic generation in femtosecond laser induced filamentation - Comparison of results obtained with plasma and a pair of glass plates

We experimentally demonstrate that significant enhancement of third harmonic generation during filamentation in air can be achieved by terminating a filament with either a pair of uncoated glass plates or a thin plasma string created by a second laser pulse. By comparing the results obtained under these two conditions, it appears likely that the inserted plasma string plays a role as a phase plate, by which the phase mismatch induced by the Gouy phase can be partially corrected.