Achieving ultrafast timing resolution in single-photon counting via a photon-streaking time-lens system | CU Experts

Time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) is an extremely powerful technique for high sensitivity time-of-flight (ToF) 3D imaging and lifetime microscopy. However, TCSPC is typically limited to around 100ps due to the single-photon timing resolution of photodetectors. We have demonstrated a time-lens method to achieve sub-picosecond temporal resolution, but existing implementations remain hampered by narrow optical bandwidths and limited temporal windows, restricting practical utility. We introduce a photon-streaking time-lens architecture that couples broadband dispersion engineering with spatial-temporal mapping to deliver sub-picosecond resolution across nanosecond-scale windows, thereby extending TCSPC to high-flux, spectrally diverse applications.

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