Aberration-optimized electro-optic time lens with a tunable aperture

Abstract

Time lenses have been recognized as crucial components for manipulating ultrafast optical pulses in various applications, from ultrafast spectroscopy to interfacing of optical quantum systems. However, the existing analytical model for the electro-optic time lens underutilizes its potential. Here, we introduce a tunable time aperture model for sinusoidal time lenses, enabling precise control over the chirp rate without modifying the device. We derive a closed-form expression for the maximum phase error and demonstrate its dependence on the time aperture. We experimentally validate the model by achieving a 1.6-fold enhanced spectral bandwidth compression of Gaussian pulses compared to the conventional approach. Our framework offers a practical tool for designing efficient temporal optical systems, benefiting applications such as temporal imaging and optical signal processing in both classical and quantum optics, where precise control over spectro-temporal properties is crucial.