FISI: frequency domain integration sequential imaging at 1.26×10¹³ frames per second and 108 lines per millimeter

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Ultrafast Imaging
• Plasma Physics

Background:

• Achieving high intrinsic spatial resolution in ultrafast imaging remains a significant challenge.
• Existing single-shot methods often sacrifice intrinsic resolution for object-plane resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel imaging technique, Frequency Domain Integration Sequential Imaging (FISI), that overcomes the limitations of current ultrafast imaging methods.
• To demonstrate FISI's capability for high-resolution, high-framing-rate imaging of transient phenomena.

Main Methods:

• Encoding transient dynamics using an inversed 4f (IFF) system.
• Decoding using optical spatial frequencies recognition (OFR) to overcome limitations of traditional spatial frequency recognition algorithms.
• Implementing FISI for shadow imaging of an air plasma channel.

Main Results:

• Achieved a framing rate of 1.26×10¹³ frames per second.
• Obtained an intrinsic spatial resolution of 108 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) on the image plane.
• Successfully imaged the dynamic process of an air plasma channel.

Conclusions:

• FISI offers a breakthrough in ultrafast imaging by providing both high framing rates and high intrinsic spatial resolution.
• The technique is suitable for studying diverse ultrafast phenomena, including laser-induced damage, plasma dynamics, and shockwave interactions.
• FISI enables high-quality probing of both repeatable and unrepeatable transient events.