Single-shot real-time frequency chirp characterization of telecommunication optical signals based on balanced temporal optical differentiation

A simple single-shot frequency chirp characterization technique for telecommunication optical waveforms is introduced. The proposed technique is based on what we believe to be a novel balanced all-optical ultrafast differentiation scheme, and it enables a real-time conversion of the instantaneous frequency variation of an arbitrary complex (amplitude and phase) optical signal into a temporal intensity profile while simultaneously providing an efficient cancellation of the intensity noise. Single-shot real-time frequency chirp measurements of gigahertz-bandwidth phase-only and amplitude and phase temporal modulation waveforms are performed.