Devices and methods for transporting and controlling light beams

Abstract

According to one aspect, the invention relates to a device () for transporting and controlling light beams comprising a light guide () comprising a bundle () of uncoupled single-mode optical fibers (F), each single-mode optical fiber (F) being intended to receive an elementary light beam (B) at a proximal end and to emit a light beam (B) at a distal end, said bundle of single-mode optical fibers comprising, in operation, a minimum radius of curvature corresponding to a maximum curvature of the bundle of fibers. The device () furthermore comprises an optical device for phase controlling, said device being arranged on the side of the proximal end of the light guide () and comprising at least a first spatial light modulator () suitable for applying a phase shift to each of the elementary beams (B), and a control unit () for controlling the first spatial light modulator, said unit being configured to apply a phase shift to each of the elementary beams (B) so as to form, at the distal end of the light guide, an illumination beam with a predefined phase function. According to the present description, said bundle () of single-mode optical fibers is twisted, and comprises a twist period (P) defined to preserve said phase function at the distal end of the light guide when the bundle of single-mode optical fibers is subjected to a curvature lower than said maximum curvature.