pulsebypulse

Pulse-by-pulse (pulsebypulse) is a descriptive term used in signal processing and measurement to refer to approaches that probe a system with a sequence of individual pulses and measure the response to each pulse separately. The phrase is not a rigid, standardized term and may be used interchangeably with per-pulse measurement, single-pulse measurement, or time-domain pump-probe techniques in some contexts.

In ultrafast optics, for example, it can describe experiments where a train of ultrashort pulses interrogates a sample and the response is recorded on a per-pulse basis, enabling time-resolved observations of fast dynamics. Similar per-pulse schemes appear in radar, lidar, and certain spectroscopic methods, where the goal is to resolve transient phenomena or nonlinear responses that evolve between pulses.

Operation typically involves generating a pulse train at a known repetition rate, directing each pulse into the system under study, detecting the output corresponding to each pulse, and storing the results with the associated pulse index or delay. Analysis may build up a per-pulse time series, or vary the inter-pulse delay to map dynamics.

Advantages include the ability to capture transient or non-linear effects with high time resolution and to build a per-pulse record for averaging or single-shot analysis. Limitations include the need for fast, synchronized detectors, potential sensitivity to pulse-to-pulse fluctuations, and increased data handling requirements.

Terminology varies by field, and pulse-by-pulse is more descriptive than a formal standard. It is related to time-domain spectroscopy, pump-probe methods, single-shot measurements, and pulse-shaping techniques.

See also

- Time-domain spectroscopy

- Pump-probe

- Single-shot measurement

- Pulse train

- Ultrafast optics

- Signal processing