Definition of streak camera

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Photonics Dictionary

streak camera: A streak camera is a specialized instrument used to capture and analyze ultrafast phenomena, such as extremely short pulses of light or rapidly changing events. Unlike traditional cameras that capture a single image at a specific moment in time, a streak camera records the temporal evolution of light intensity over a short duration.

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The basic principle of a streak camera involves spatially dispersing the incoming light along one axis (typically the horizontal axis) and temporally resolving it along another axis (usually the vertical axis). This is achieved using a combination of optical elements, such as a diffraction grating or prism for spatial dispersion and a fast-moving slit or CCD array for temporal resolution.

As light enters the streak camera, it is dispersed in the spatial dimension according to its wavelength or frequency. Simultaneously, a rapidly moving slit or electronic shutter scans across the image, allowing light to pass through only during a very brief time interval. By synchronizing the motion of the slit with the arrival of the light pulses, the streak camera records the intensity of light as a function of time, producing a two-dimensional image known as a "streak image" or "streak photograph."

Streak cameras are widely used in various scientific fields, including physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering, for studying ultrafast processes such as laser-induced plasma dynamics, chemical reactions, and shock waves. They provide valuable insights into the dynamics of events that occur on picosecond (10^-12 seconds) to femtosecond (10^-15 seconds) timescales.

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