10 Trillion Frame-per-Second Camera Captures Photon Pulses in Mid-Air

Posted by Guy Pirro | 10/16/2018 05:09AM | 0 Comments

What happens when a new technology is so advanced and precise that it operates on a scale beyond our ability to accurately characterize and measure? That happens when lasers used to produce ultrashort pulses in the femtosecond range (10 ^-15 seconds) are far too short to visualize. Although some measurements are possible, nothing beats a clear image according to researchers at INRS (Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique), a part of the Universite du Quebec network in Canada. Working with colleagues at Caltech, they have developed T-CUP, the world’s fastest camera, capable of capturing ten trillion (10 ^13) frames per second. This new camera literally captures photon pulses in mid-air and makes it possible to freeze time and see phenomena in extremely slow motion.