Single-Shot Receive-Only Ultrafast Electro-Optical Deflection Imaging

Abstract

Imaging ultrafast dynamic events is a long-standing scientific goal. It is difficult for conventional electronic imaging sensors based on charge-coupled devices (CCDs) or complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) to capture dynamic processes occurring on the nanosecond or even shorter timescales due to the limitations of on-chip storage and electronic read-out speed. Here, we develop a dynamic imaging technique with a very simple compact configuration, called ultrafast electro-optical deflection imaging (UEODI), which has a temporal resolution of up to 20 ps or an imaging speed of $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ frames per second (fps), and therefore, it enables the observation of nanosecond and even picosecond dynamic events. UEODI operates in a single-shot receive-only mode, and thus, it is highly beneficial for imaging nonrepetitive (or irreversible) dynamic events and a variety of luminescent objects. Moreover, when combined with the time-of-flight (TOF) method, UEODI can detect three-dimensional (3D) objects. Using UEODI, we visualize a molecular photoluminescent process and measure a 3D ladder structure. Considering the capabilities of UEODI, it will have very importation application prospects in both basic research and applied science, including biomedical imaging.