Speed of light in slow-motion – up to a billion images per second
Fig. 1: Roguescope - a flexible real-time spectrometer
When measuring and analyzing ultrafast optical signals, the AD converter often works as “bottleneck” and puts limitations on the achievable speed. That’s why profound knowledge of temporal processes like for example Q-switching is of utmost importance for the development of parts.
Time-stretch dispersive Fourier transformation (TS-DFT) allows real-time spectroscopy with millions of scans per second. A modulated optical signal is temporally stretched with the help of dispersive parts. The stretched signal can then be digitized with standard measurement techniques.
This technique has lead to the discovery of so-called “rogue waves”. Holding the world record in analog-digital-conversion, it is already being used in various instruments worldwide. The key with this is not the Fourier transformation, but temporal stretching.
Fig. 2: Elements of a time stretching system.
1: An entrance signal is modulated onto the spectrum of a broadband, ultra-short, optical pulse.
2: A dispersive element temporarly stretches the spectral components and slows down the modulated information. This gives ample time to the AD converter.
3: The optical signal is converted into an analog electrical signal by photo detection and then digitized by a real-time AD converter.
4: Digital data analysis and classification with artificial intelligence (AI).
This results in a wide range of applications for the analysis of non-linear dynamic processes like the characterization of femtosecond lasers, the measurement of disruptive effects in electrooptical devices and of chemical reactions.
With RogueScope, we offer a flexible real-time spectrometer with a frame rate of up to 100,000 000 fps. This makes it at least 1000x faster than conventional instruments. With RogueScope, dynamic optical processes and rare effects can be captured with high precision. The spectrometer can be customized for individual needs and for the wavelength ranges 500 - 1000 nm and 950 - 1700 nm. The spectral resolution is always 10 pm. When used with an oscilloscope or OSA, processes can be analyzed in ways not thought possible up to now.
Fig. 3: Generation of a laser pulse
Courtesy of: Herink, G., Jalali, B., Ropers, C. & Solli, D. Resolving the build-up of femtosecond mode-locking with single-shot spectroscopy at 90 MHz frame rate. Nat. Photon. 10, 321–326 (2016).
Patented synchronization and calibration software as well as powerful visualization and analysis software make this device as user friendly as possible.
Please contact us if you need information on possible applications.
