Single-shot spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography

Pengpeng Ding,Dalong Qi,Jiali Yao,Yunhua Yao,Shian Zhang,Chengshuai Yang,Lianzhong Deng,Chengzhi Jin,Zhengqi Huang,Jinyang Liang,Yilin He,Zhenrong Sun,Li Deng,Tianqing Jia,Fengyan Cao

doi:10.1117/1.ap.3.4.045001

Abstract

In ultrafast optical imaging, it is critical to obtain the spatial structure, temporal evolution, and spectral composition of the object with snapshots in order to better observe and understand unrepeatable or irreversible dynamic scenes. However, so far, there are no ultrafast optical imaging techniques that can simultaneously capture the spatial–temporal–spectral five-dimensional (5D) information of dynamic scenes. To break the limitation of the existing techniques in imaging dimensions, we develop a spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography (SV-CUP) technique. In our SV-CUP, the spatial resolutions in the x, y and z directions are, respectively, 0.39, 0.35, and 3 mm with an 8.8 mm × 6.3 mm field of view, the temporal frame interval is 2 ps, and the spectral frame interval is 1.72 nm. To demonstrate the excellent performance of our SV-CUP in spatial–temporal–spectral 5D imaging, we successfully measure the spectrally resolved photoluminescent dynamics of a 3D mannequin coated with CdSe quantum dots. Our SV-CUP brings unprecedented detection capabilities to dynamic scenes, which has important application prospects in fundamental research and applied science.

Highlights

Acquiring the spatial ðx; y; zÞ, temporal (t), and spectral (λ) information of an object is very important in natural science exploration
5 Discussion and Conclusions In spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography (SV-compressed ultrafast photography (CUP)), the spatial resolutions in the x and y directions depend on the camera lens in the imaging system
Once the high numerical aperture (NA) objective lens is used, both the horizontal spatial resolutions can be further improved, but they cannot break through the optical diffraction limit

Summary

Introduction

Acquiring the spatial ðx; y; zÞ, temporal (t), and spectral (λ) information of an object is very important in natural science exploration. The ultrafast imaging techniques, such as compressed ultrafast photography (CUP),[12,13,14,15] sequentially timed all-optical mapping photography,[16] and single-shot femtosecond time-resolved optical polarimetry,[17] could record the spatial–temporal three-dimensional (3D) ðx; y; tÞ information, while both the depth (i.e., z) and spectral information were missing. Some improved techniques have been developed to further extend the imaging dimensions of CUP, such as hyperspectrally compressed ultrafast photography (HCUP)[18] and compressed ultrafast spectral photography,[19] which could capture the spatial–temporal–spectral (4D) ðx; y; t; λÞ information, but they still lacked the depth information. To break the detection limitation of the existing snapshot multi-dimensional optical imaging in the whole spatial, temporal, and spectral dimensions, we develop a spectral-volumetric compressed ultrafast photography (SV-CUP) technique to realize the spatial–temporal–spectral 5D ðx; y; z; t; λÞ imaging of the dynamic scenes. Using SV-CUP, we experimentally demonstrate the spectrally resolved photoluminescent dynamics of a 3D mannequin coated with CdSe quantum dots, which confirms the reliability of SV-CUP

SV-CUP’s Configuration and Principle

SV-CUP’s Depth Resolution Characterization

SV-CUP’s 5D Imaging

Discussion and Conclusions