Acoustically steered and rotated true-time-delay generator based on wavelength-division multiplexing

Single-shot ultrafast optical imaging

Single-shot ultrafast optical imaging can capture two-dimensional transient scenes in the optical spectral range at ≥100 million frames per second. This rapidly evolving field surpasses conventional pump-probe methods by possessing the real-time imaging capability, which is indispensable for recording non-repeatable and difficult-to-reproduce events and for understanding physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. In this mini-review, we survey comprehensively the state-of-the-art single-shot ultrafast optical imaging. Based on the illumination requirement, we categorized the field into active-detection and passive-detection domains. Depending on the specific image acquisition and reconstruction strategies, these two categories are further divided into a total of six sub-categories. Under each sub-category, we describe operating principles, present representative cutting-edge techniques with a particular emphasis on their methodology and applications, and discuss their advantages and challenges. Finally, we envision prospects of technical advancement in this field.

Polynomial-based optical true-time delay devices with microelectromechanical mirror arrays

We previously reported optical true-time delay devices, based on the White cell, to support phased-array radars. In particular, we demonstrated a quadratic device, in which the number of delays obtainable was proportional to the square of the number of times the light beam bounced in the cell. Here we consider the possibilities when a microelectromechanical (MEM) tip/tilt mirror array with multiple stable states is used. We present and compare designs for quadratic, quartic, and octic cells using MEM mirror arrays with two, three, and five micro-mirror tilt angles. An octic cell with a three-state MEM can produce 6,339 different delays in just 17 bounces.