A real-time imaging technique to capture a trillion fps

Have you ever thought about capturing light? Not sunlight, but light waves. We all know that light travels at a speed of 3x10⁸ m/s. What would it take to capture light waves? How many frames should you capture per second to capture a light wave?

Did you get the answer? If your answer is somewhere near 10 with 12 zeros behind it, you are correct. Yes, if your camera captures 1x10¹³ frames per second, it captures a light wave passing through the lens. Well, can it be achieved?

A recent paper published by Liang et al discusses a new imaging technique that allows for single-shot, real-time, femtosecond imaging of temporal focusing. This technique has the potential to revolutionize the way we study ultrafast phenomena in a variety of fields, including physics, chemistry, and biology. So yes, it can be achieved.

The new imaging technique described in the paper uses a combination of temporal focusing and a type of imaging called phase-contrast imaging. This allows for the creation of high-resolution images of ultrafast phenomena in real-time, without the need for multiple shots or complex imaging setups.

Temporal Focusing

Temporal focusing is a technique used in ultrafast optics that allows the creation of ultrafast laser pulses that are focused in time rather than in space. This technique involves using a lens to focus on a laser pulse in such a way that it creates a series of pulses that are extremely short in duration, typically on the order of femtoseconds.

These ultrafast pulses can be used to study phenomena that occur on extremely short timescales, such as chemical reactions and biological processes. One of the main advantages of temporal focusing is that it allows for the creation of high-intensity laser pulses that can be used to study a wide range of phenomena.

T-CUP

To enable real-time, ultrafast, passive imaging of temporal focusing, here, we have developed single-shot, trillion-frame-per-second, compressed ultrafast photography (T-CUP), which can image non-repeatable transient events at a frame rate of up to 10 Tfps in a receive-only fashion. T-CUP is a cutting-edge imaging technique that allows for the capture of ultrafast phenomena at an unprecedented rate of one trillion frames per second. This technique involves using a combination of compressed sensing and streak imaging to capture images of ultrafast events that occur on extremely short timescales, such as the movement of light.

The T-CUP system works by first compressing the data from the camera using a technique called compressed sensing. This allows for the capture of a large amount of data in a short amount of time, which is essential for imaging ultrafast phenomena. The compressed data is then sent to a streak camera, which is a type of camera that captures images of moving objects by stretching them out over time. By combining compressed sensing with streak imaging, the T-CUP system can capture images of ultrafast events with an unprecedented level of detail and accuracy.

One of the main advantages of T-CUP is that it allows for the capture of ultrafast events that were previously impossible to image. For example, it can be used to study the propagation of light through complex materials, such as biological tissues. It can also be used to study the dynamics of chemical reactions in real time, allowing for a better understanding of how these reactions occur.

Additionally, T-CUP has applications in the field of materials science, where it can be used to study the properties of materials on extremely short timescales. Overall, T-CUP is a powerful tool that has the potential to revolutionize the way we study ultrafast phenomena in a variety of fields.

Possible applications and use cases

1. Studying Chemical reactions: The technique could be used to study the dynamics of chemical reactions in real-time, allowing for a better understanding of how these reactions occur. This could lead to the development of more efficient and effective chemical processes.
2. Studying biological processes: The technique could be used to study biological processes, such as the movement of proteins and other molecules within cells. This could lead to a better understanding of how cells function and could help in the development of new treatments for diseases.
3. Studying materials science: The technique could be used to study the properties of materials on extremely short timescales. This could lead to the development of new materials with unique properties and applications.
4. Studying quantum mechanics: The technique could be used to study quantum mechanics, which is the study of the behavior of matter and energy at the atomic and subatomic levels. This could lead to a better understanding of the fundamental laws of physics and could have implications for the development of new technologies.
5. Studying ultrafast electronics: The technique could be used to study ultrafast electronics, which is the study of electronic devices that operate in extremely short timescales. This could lead to the development of faster and more efficient electronic devices.

Resources

1. Single-shot real-time femtosecond imaging of temporal focusing | A paper published by Liang et al - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-018-0044-7
2. Visualizing video at the speed of light by Massachusetts Institute of Technology - https://youtu.be/EtsXgODHMWk