Abstract
Precision measurement of fast non-repetitive dynamics is essential in all branches of science. However,
conventional spectroscopy and imaging methods cannot capture some of such dynamical processes since
their scan rate is limited by the charge download rate of CCD and CMOS image sensors. While the
pump-probe method can circumvent this predicament without the need for a high-speed detector, it only
works for easy-to-reproduce events for repetitive time-delayed measurements. In this review article, we
introduce a method based on temporal dispersion known as dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT)
which can overcome these limitations in the conventional methods and hence capture fast non-repetitive
processes at a frame rate up to 100 MHz. With this advantage, DFT can find its way in a variety of
applications in basic research, industry, and medicine. In this review article, we first discuss the principle
of DFT and then introduce its application to ultrafast imaging.
