Viewing light at four trillion frames per second

In summary, a new technique has been developed to capture ultrafast light pulses traveling through transparent materials. This technique was published in Phys. Rev. Lett. and involves using compressed ultrafast spectral-temporal photography. The technique is demonstrated in a 33-picosecond clip showing a light pulse traveling through a transparent solid, reflecting off a mirror and re-entering the material. A similar technique is also shown in a YouTube clip, where reflections from within a plastic water bottle track the movement of a laser pulse.
  • #1
zincshow
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TL;DR Summary
These researchers appear to be imaging a pulse of light travelling at the speed of light. Unfortunately, the detail is behind a paywall. Why does the light appear to pulse bright to dark over about a 5ps timeframe?
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01625-5?utm_source=Nature+Briefing&utm_campaign=567cff556e-briefing-wk-20190524&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c9dfd39373-567cff556e-42247907
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  • #2
The are not viewing a light beam, they are viewing the scattered light as the beam travels through a material. I'd guess that the scattering is variable based on the characteristics of the material.
 
  • #3
The article under discussion has been published in Phys. Rev. Lett. From the news article by APS, the caption of the video says:
In this 33-picosecond clip produced with the new technique, a light pulse (red blob) travels through a transparent solid. Upon reaching the edge of the material (dashed line), the pulse travels invisibly through air, hits a mirror, and then re-enters the material.
(Emphasis added)

The reference to the paper (for future visitors, in case the link is unavailable) is:
Yu Lu et al., Compressed Ultrafast Spectral-Temporal Photography, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 193904 – Published 17 May 2019
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.193904
 
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  • #4
In what seems to be a similar technique, this YouTube clip makes it easier to appreciate the making of such "light speed" imagery as reflections from within a plastic water bottle (diluted with a trace of milk) track the movement of a laser pulse.

 
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What is "Viewing light at four trillion frames per second"?

"Viewing light at four trillion frames per second" is a technique used in scientific research to capture extremely fast processes, such as the movement of light, at an incredibly high frame rate. It involves using specialized equipment and algorithms to record and analyze data at a rate of four trillion frames per second.

How is "Viewing light at four trillion frames per second" achieved?

To achieve this high frame rate, scientists use a technique called compressed ultrafast photography (CUP). This involves using a series of laser pulses and a specialized camera to capture images in rapid succession. The images are then processed and combined to create a video that shows the movement of light at a rate of four trillion frames per second.

What are the applications of "Viewing light at four trillion frames per second"?

Viewing light at four trillion frames per second has a wide range of applications in scientific research. It can be used to study the behavior of light in various materials, such as semiconductors and biological tissues. It can also help in understanding and improving technologies such as lasers, solar cells, and optical communications.

What are the limitations of "Viewing light at four trillion frames per second"?

While this technique is incredibly powerful, it also has some limitations. The equipment needed to achieve four trillion frames per second is expensive and complex, making it inaccessible to many researchers. Additionally, the amount of data generated by this technique is massive and requires significant computational power to analyze.

How does "Viewing light at four trillion frames per second" contribute to scientific advancements?

Viewing light at four trillion frames per second allows scientists to observe and understand processes that were previously too fast to capture. This can lead to new discoveries and advancements in various fields of science, such as physics, chemistry, and biology. It also helps in improving existing technologies and developing new ones that can benefit society.

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