Serial time-encoded amplified microscopy for ultrafast imaging based on multi-wavelength laser

In this paper, a serial time-encoded amplified microscopy (STEAM) by employing a multi-wavelength laser as the light source is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. This system achieves ultrafast optical imaging with a tunable frame rate. The measuring range depends on the spectrum width of the multi-wavelength laser. Through tuning the speed of the modulating signal, the frame rate ranges from 100 to 250 MHz. In addition, the spatial resolution can be improved by increasing the group velocity dispersion and reducing the wavelength spacing. Finally, with the development of photonic integrate circuits (PIC), the multi-wavelength laser source has the potential for integration on a photonic chip and thus the size of the proposed STEAM could be reduced in the future.