Ultrafast photonic-crystal fiber light flash for streak-camera fluorescence measurements.

Photonic-crystal fibers (PCFs) provide a high efficiency of frequency upconversion of femtosecond Cr: forsterite laser pulses through the emission of dispersive waves by solitons and third-harmonic generation. Dispersion management allows the central wavelength of the frequency-upconverted signal in PCF output to be tuned within the range of wavelengths from 400 to 900 nm. PCF frequency shifters are employed as excitation sources for time-resolved fluorescence streak-camera measurements on fluorescein solution.