Ultrafast optical imaging by molecular wakes

Ultrafast optical imaging is demonstrated by ultrashort laser pulse induced impulsive molecular alignment, involving optical image storage in the created molecular wakes followed by periodic readout and display. For diatomic molecules in air, both raised and intagliated monochromatic images are demonstrated, which is field-free, periodically achievable, and works as an ultrafast buffer memory for the imprinted optical images. Analogous to the holographic imaging, the phase information of a three-dimensional object can be revealed at various time delays.