A groundbreaking scientific camera has been developed by researchers that can capture images at an incredible encoding rate of 156.3 terahertz (THz) per pixel, equivalent to 156.3 trillion frames per second. Known as SCARF (swept-coded aperture real-time femtophotography), this high-speed camera could revolutionize fields that study events too rapid for current scientific sensors to detect.
SCARF has successfully recorded ultrafast occurrences such as absorption in a semiconductor and the demagnetization of a metal alloy, offering new possibilities in areas like shock wave mechanics and medical research.
The project was led by Professor Jinyang Liang of Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Canada, a prominent figure in ultrafast photography. The research, recently published in Nature and highlighted in a press release from INRS, marks a new approach to ultrafast cameras.
Unlike traditional cameras that capture individual frames one after another, SCARF utilizes a unique technique that allows for rapid sweeping of a static coded aperture without distorting the ultrafast phenomena being observed. This method enables the camera to achieve encoding rates of up to 156.3 THz per pixel in a single shot, offering unprecedented speed and accuracy.
The camera’s innovative computational imaging modality captures spatial information by processing light inputs at slightly different times, allowing for the detection of extremely fast laser pulses. The raw data is then decoded by a computer algorithm to reconstruct the trillions of frames captured into a cohesive image.
Remarkably, SCARF achieves this feat using readily available optical components, making it a cost-effective and energy-efficient option compared to existing technologies. While primarily intended for research purposes, the team is collaborating with companies to develop commercial versions for wider use in the scientific community.
For a detailed technical analysis of the camera and its potential applications, the full paper can be found in Nature.
Source link
