Resolution-Enhanced Dynamic Waveform Spectral Analysis Based on the Inverse Temporal Talbot Effect

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a resolution-enhanced dynamic waveform spectral analysis scheme based on the inverse temporal Talbot effect (ITTE). In the system, a sampling and dispersion structure is adopted, and the spectral information of the RF signal is mapped to the time domain, consecutively within each of the sampling-period slots. Meanwhile, the period of the output pulses is magnified by the ITTE, where the sampling pulse train is quadratically phase-modulated prior to experiencing dispersion. Enabled by the ITTE, spectral resolution can be improved while maintaining system bandwidth. Simulations and experiments validate that real-time RF signals with bandwidths above GHz and nanosecond continuous frequency transients can be successfully captured with an improved spectral resolution.