This paper reports the development of single-shot laser-sheet compressed ultrafast photography (LS-CUP) for billion-frames-per-second planar imaging of flame-laser dynamics. The technique allows real-time observation of laser-induced incandescence, elastic light scattering, and fluorescence of soot precursors (PAHs) using a single nanosecond laser pulse. Spatiotemporal maps of PAH emission, soot temperature, nanoparticle size, and monomer count provide experimental evidence supporting theories of soot formation. LS-CUP is presented as a versatile tool for studying short-lived species in turbulent environments and has potential applications beyond combustion research.

Yogeshwar Nath Mishra, Peng Wang, Florian J. Bauer, Yide Zhang, Dag Hanstorp, Stefan Will, Lihong V. Wang