Unlocking Distortion Free Time Imaging

Ever wished you could zoom in on time without distorting the picture? 🔬⏱️

In the world of ultrafast optics, "magnifying" a light signal often comes with a catch: a messy residual phase (or "chirp") that can scramble the data for further processing.

A brilliant new study by Moti Fridman and his team at Bar-Ilan University (Faculty of Engineering & BINA) has just solved this puzzle. Published in Optics & Laser Technology, they’ve developed a Temporal Chirpless Near-Field Microscope.

The Breakthrough: By using a clever design inspired by the classic Galilean telescope and two "time lenses," the researchers managed to magnify optical signals by up to 40x while completely canceling out that pesky residual phase.

Why is this a game-changer?

•Quantum Ready: Removing the residual phase is crucial for creating indistinguishable photons in quantum networks.
•Ultra-Clear Imaging: It allows us to see "evanescent" temporal modes—signals so weak they usually decay before they can be measured.
•High Efficiency: The system achieves massive magnification using much lower dispersion (and shorter fibers) than traditional methods.

The Bar-Ilan Team: This innovation is a collaborative effort by Or Refaely, Melissa Bogdanov Berezovsky, Sagi Bruck, Sara Meir, Yuval Tamir, Hamootal Duadi, and Moti Fridman.

From quantum computing to ultrafast signal processing, the ability to see time clearly is opening up a whole new dimension of possibilities.

Read more about the future of temporal optics here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2025.113912