High-harmonic generation in metallic titanium nitride

Abstract: High-harmonic generation is the cornerstone of nonlinear optics. It has been demonstrated in a wide range of crystalline systems including dielectrics, semiconductors, and semi-metals, as well as in gases, leaving metals out due to their low damage threshold. Here, we report on the high-harmonic generation in metallic titanium nitride (TiN) films. TiN is a refractory plasmonic metal, known for its high melting temperature and laser damage threshold, with optical properties similar to those of gold. We show that TiN can withstand laser pulses with peak intensities as high as 13 TW/cm$^2$, one order of magnitude higher than gold, enabling the emission of intraband harmonics up to photon energies of 11 eV. These harmonics can pave the way for compact and efficient plasmonic devices producing vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) frequency combs. Through numerical calculations and experimental studies, we show that the intensity scaling and angular anisotropy of the emitted VUV radiation stem from the anisotropic conduction band structure of TiN, thus confirming its intraband origin.