Time-stretch-based multidimensional line-scan microscopy

Abstract

Time-stretch tomography imaging with ultrahigh frame rate is a breathtaking optical imaging method for acquiring large data sets for detection and classification of rare events. However, mechanical scans of both x and y dimensions are required to obtain tomography imaging. Here we introduce an ultrafast multidimensional time-stretch imaging method, only by one-dimensional scan, a multidimensional imaging can be obtained. An entire row of surface and depth information for a reflective sample is encoded onto the amplitude and frequency of a spatially dispersed ultrafast chirped beam, respectively. The present multidimensional line-scan microscopy approaches an ultrafast imaging system with micron level positioning accuracy in depth, three-dimensional surface information acquisition and tomography capability, which aimed at emerging applications for optical coherence tomography (OCT), light detection and ranging (LIDAR) and hyperspectral imaging.