Single-shot ultrafast optical imaging

Single-shot ultrafast optical imaging can capture two-dimensional transient scenes in the optical spectral range at ≥100 million frames per second. This rapidly evolving field surpasses conventional pump-probe methods by possessing the real-time imaging capability, which is indispensable for recording non-repeatable and difficult-to-reproduce events and for understanding physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. In this mini-review, we survey comprehensively the state-of-the-art single-shot ultrafast optical imaging. Based on the illumination requirement, we categorized the field into active-detection and passive-detection domains. Depending on the specific image acquisition and reconstruction strategies, these two categories are further divided into a total of six sub-categories. Under each sub-category, we describe operating principles, present representative cutting-edge techniques with a particular emphasis on their methodology and applications, and discuss their advantages and challenges. Finally, we envision prospects of technical advancement in this field.