A photonic instantaneous frequency measurement system capable of measuring both RF frequency and power simultaneously, is conceived and practically demonstrated. This system employs an RF photonic Hilbert transformer together with low-cost, low-frequency photo-detectors to obtain two orthogonal DC measurements. This system exhibits a frequency range of 1-10 GHz. Wider frequency range can be achieved through integration.

A photonic implementation of a practical broadband RF Hilbert transformer is demonstrated by using a four-tap transversal system. An almost ideal 90 degrees phase shift with less than 3 dB of amplitude ripple has been achieved from 2.4 to 17.6 GHz. An efficient method to realize both transformed (quadrature-phase) and reference (in-phase) signal has been achieved by using a coarse wavelength division multiplexing coupler. Extension of the transformer bandwidth and further improvements of its implementation are discussed.

Laser scanning technology is one of the most integral parts of today's scientific research, manufacturing, defense, and biomedicine. In many applications, high-speed scanning capability is essential for scanning a large area in a short time and multi-dimensional sensing of moving objects and dynamical processes with fine temporal resolution. Unfortunately, conventional laser scanners are often too slow, resulting in limited precision and utility. Here we present a new type of laser scanner that offers ∼1,000 times higher scan rates than conventional state-of-the-art scanners. This method employs spatial dispersion of temporally stretched broadband optical pulses onto the target, enabling inertia-free laser scans at unprecedented scan rates of nearly 100 MHz at 800 nm. To show our scanner's broad utility, we use it to demonstrate unique and previously difficult-to-achieve capabilities in imaging, surface vibrometry, and flow cytometry at a record 2D raster scan rate of more than 100 kHz with 27,000 resolvable points.

A broadband photonic instantaneous frequency measurement system utilizing four-wave mixing in highly nonlinear fiber is demonstrated. This new approach is highly stable and does not require any high-speed electronics or photodetectors. A first principles model accurately predicts the system response. Frequency measurement responses from 1 to 40 GHz are demonstrated and simple reconfiguration allows the system to operate over multiple bands.