Single-Shot Ultrafast Imaging via Spatiotemporal Division of Femtosecond Laser Pulses

Opt. Soc. Am. B - Opt. Phys. 35, 2822 (2018)https://ireap.umd.edu/10.1364/JOSAB.35.0028222018Journal ArticleNonlinear and Quantum Photonics

We have developed a single-shot imaging technique that can capture ultrafast events occurring on femtosecond to picosecond time scales. The technique is based on an optical pump-probe method, in which multiple time-delayed femtosecond pulses simultaneously probe a pump-excited sample. Here we use two sets of 2-by-2 mirror arrays for spatial/temporal division and routing of multiple probe pulses. This single-shot scheme is successfully applied to capture femtosecond ionization fronts propagating at the speed of light in air, as well as laser-induced ablation of solid targets.