Temporal and spectral dispersion of an optical source using a micromirror array-based streak camera

Abstract

The digital micromirror device (DMD) is an array of tilting micromirrors, capable of high frame rates that are made possible by rapid changes of angular state. The rapid angular change of the mirrors is used to sweep an optical signal across a camera sensor, resulting in a version of a streak camera, capable of temporal dispersion of an optical signal. Using a single pixel or single line of pixels can produce a continuous temporal track, whereas a two-dimensional array of mirrors scans an intensity envelope across discrete diffraction orders. Temporal resolutions of 10nS have been achieved and used to measure laser pulse widths. Combining with a diffraction grating oriented orthogonally to the temporal dispersion enables temporal and spectral dispersion to be obtained simultaneously.