title: Multiplexed single-mode wavelength-to-time mapping of multimode light.
abstract: When an optical pulse propagates along an optical fibre, different wavelengths travel at different group velocities. As a result, wavelength information is converted into arrival-time information, a process known as wavelength-to-time mapping. This phenomenon is most cleanly observed using a single-mode fibre transmission line, where spatial mode dispersion is not present, but the use of such fibres restricts possible applications. Here we demonstrate that photonic lanterns based on tapered single-mode multicore fibres provide an efficient way to couple multimode light to an array of single-photon avalanche detectors, each of which has its own time-to-digital converter for time-correlated single-photon counting. Exploiting this capability, we demonstrate the multiplexed single-mode wavelength-to-time mapping of multimode light using a multicore fibre photonic lantern with 121 single-mode cores, coupled to 121 detectors on a 32 × 32 detector array. This work paves the way to efficient multimode wavelength-to-time mapping systems with the spectral performance of single-mode systems.
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.|Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: Harikumar K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chandrasekharan
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Izdebski
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Itandehui
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gris-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.
authors.forename: Nikola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krstajić
authors.affiliation: Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: Helen L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Bridle
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dalgarno
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: William N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: MacPherson
authors.affiliation: Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK.
authors.forename: Robert K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Tim A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Birks
authors.affiliation: Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Thomson