Third-harmonic generation in air by use of femtosecond radiation in tight-focusing conditions.

Third-harmonic generation (THG) in air in tight-focusing conditions is presented. Variation of the pulse duration supplied optimal conditions for THG by femtosecond pulses that varied in the range 110-1300 fs. We show that this third-harmonic generation was caused by Kerr-induced phase variations of fundamental and harmonic beams.