Programmable, direct space-to-time picosecond resolution pulse shaper with nanosecond record

We demonstrate a novel, to the best of our knowledge, extension of optical arbitrary waveform generation capable of picosecond resolution over nanosecond duration. The method, called space-time induced linearly encoded transcription for temporal optimization, is based on direct space-to-time pulse shaping and is extended here to single-mode output with a programmable temporal profile. We develop the theory of operation and discuss ultimate limits on resolution, record length, and efficiency. We report on the results of an experimental demonstration showing ∼1ps resolution over 600 ps.