Sequentially timed all-optical mapping photography (STAMP) utilizing spectral filtering.

Abstract

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a new method called SF-STAMP for sequentially timed all-optical mapping photography (STAMP) that utilizes spectral filtering. SF-STAMP is composed of a diffractive optical element (DOE), a band-pass filter, and two Fourier transform lenses. Using a linearly frequency-chirped pulse and converting the wavelength to the time axis, we realize single-shot ultrafast burst imaging. As an experimental demonstration of SF-STAMP, we monitor the dynamics of a laser ablation using a linearly frequency-chirped broadband pulse (>100 nm) that is temporally stretched up to ~40 ps. This imaging method is expected to be effective for investigating ultrafast dynamics in a diverse range of fields, such as photochemistry, plasma physics, and fluidics.