title: Implementation of the photonic time-stretch concept using an incoherent pulsed light source.
abstract: We propose a new technique to realize photonic time stretching of radio-frequency (RF) signals by using a time-gated (pulsed) incoherent-light source. The proposed system provides similar performance specifications (stretch factor, temporal aperture, and resolution) to those of a conventional coherent system but using a temporal gating process that is significantly longer than the transform-limited pulse duration of the equivalent coherent configuration. We experimentally demonstrate temporal magnification and compression of high-speed RF signals, with time-stretch factors ranging from 0.65 to 8.66, using a broadband (11.6 nm) incoherent-light source temporally gated over ∼163  ps. In one of the reported experiments, we achieve a resolution of ∼67.5  ps over a temporal aperture of ∼23  ns, representing a time-bandwidth product of >340.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shuqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Azaña