Kerr-induced In-line Interferometry for Ultra-sensitive Phase-Contrast Imaging

Measuring the phase of light is fundamental to optical imaging, sensing, and signal processing applications. Conventional optical phase measurements rely on multipath configurations, bulky interferometric setups, and computationally intensive data pipelines, limiting scalability, robustness, and practicality. We introduce a technique that allows for reference-free in-line phase retrieval of abrupt phase transitions in optical pulses directly from spectral measurements. Theory, simulations, and experiments concurrently explain the effect as a result of a Kerr-mediated interference between a projected linear wave component and the high-intensity residual of the phase-altered pulse. Utilizing this phenomenon, we demonstrate algorithm-free phase measurements of up to π/385 sensitivity and shot-to-shot signal prominence at 13 dB above noise at 80 MHz rates and 50 pJ pulse energies. This approach offers new paths toward the use of femtosecond pulses as broadband data carriers for optical communications, information processing, and direct high-throughput phase imaging.