Multimode fiber for spatial scanning

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first optical fiber operative for receiving a first light signal at a first input facet and providing a second light signal at a first output facet, the first optical fiber supporting a first plurality of optical modes that collectively define the second light signal;

a first spatial light modulator, the first spatial light modulator being operative for providing the first light signal to the first input facet and controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes to control the shape of the second light signal and direct the second light signal to at least one of a plurality of object points within a scan region;

a second spatial light modulator, the second spatial light modulator being operative for receiving a third light signal from the first input facet and providing a fourth light signal, wherein the third light signal comprises light reflected from the scan region into the first output facet, and wherein the second spatial light modulator is operative for manipulating the phase configuration of the third light signal to selectively pass light from one of the plurality of object points to a power monitor; and

a first sensor located within the scan region, wherein the first sensor provides a first sensor signal when the second light signal is incident on it.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first spatial light modulator is operative for controlling the at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes to focus the second light signal at any of the plurality of object points within the scan region.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first spatial light modulator is operative for controlling the at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes to shape the second light signal such that it comprises a plurality of regions, each of the regions being simultaneously directed at a different one of the plurality of object points within the scan region.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first sensor is mounted on the first output facet, and wherein the scan region includes the output facet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first output facet is functionalized to selectively bind with a biological component, and wherein the scan region includes the output facet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an atomic-force-microscope tip that is physically coupled with the first output facet, the atomic-force-microscope tip being within the scan region.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second optical fiber operative for receiving a fifth light signal at a second input facet and providing a sixth light signal at a second output facet, the second optical fiber supporting a second plurality of optical modes that collectively define the fourth sixth light signal; and

a third spatial light modulator, the third spatial light modulator being operative for providing the fifth light signal to the second input facet and controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the second plurality of optical modes to focus the sixth light signal at any of the plurality of object points within the scan region.

8. A method comprising:

coupling a first light signal into a first input facet of a first optical fiber, the first optical fiber supporting a first plurality of optical modes that collectively define a second light signal at a first output facet of the first optical fiber;

controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes to control the shape of the second light signal and direct it to at least one of a plurality of object points within a scan region;

receiving a third light signal at the first output facet, the third light signal being based on a portion of the second light signal that is reflected by at least a first object point of the plurality of object points;

providing a fourth light signal from the first input facet, the fourth light signal being based on the third light signal; and

controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of the fourth light signal to selectively include the portion of the second light signal that is reflected by the first object point in the fourth light signal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes is controlled to focus the second light signal at any of the plurality of object points within the scan region.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes to focus the second light signal is controlled to shape the second light signal such that it comprises a plurality of regions, each of the regions being simultaneously directed at a different one of the plurality of object points within the scan region.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

coupling a fifth light signal into a second input facet of a second optical fiber, the second optical fiber supporting a second plurality of optical modes that collectively define a sixth light signal at a second output facet of the second optical fiber; and

controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of each of the second plurality of optical modes to focus the sixth light signal at any of the plurality of object points within the scan region.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising controlling each of the first plurality of optical modes and the second plurality of optical modes such that second light signal and the sixth light signal are focused at the same object point of the plurality of object points.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing a first sensor, the first sensor being disposed at a first object point within a first region of the first output facet; and

controlling the first plurality of optical modes to direct the second light signal to the first object point.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing a probe whose position relative to the output facet is based on an atomic force; and

controlling the at least one of the relative phase and amplitude of each of the first plurality of optical modes to track the position of the probe with the second light signal.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing the output facet such that it is functionalized to bind a first biological component; and

optically interrogating the output facet with the second light signal, the output facet being with the scan region.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the relative phase of each of the first plurality of optical modes is controlled by operations comprising:

determining an objective function for the second light signal;

receiving a third light signal at a first spatial light modulator, the first spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of pixels; and

controlling the phase position of each of the plurality of pixels based on the objective function.

17. A method comprising:

providing a first light signal from a spatial light modulator, the spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of pixels;

controlling at least one of the phase position and reflectivity of at least one of the plurality of pixels to control at least one of the spatial phase distribution and spatial optical field intensity distribution in the first light signal;

coupling the first light signal into a first input facet of a first optical fiber, the first optical fiber supporting a first plurality of optical modes that collectively define a second light signal at a first output facet of the first optical fiber;

controlling the shape of the second light signal and directing it to at least one of a plurality of object points within a scan region, wherein the shape and direction of the second light signal are based on the at least one of the spatial phase distribution and spatial optical field intensity distribution in the first light signal;

receiving a third light signal at the first output facet, the third light signal including a portion of the second light signal that is reflected by a first object point of the plurality of object points;

providing a fourth light signal from the first input facet, the fourth light signal being based on the third light signal; and

controlling at least one of the relative phase and relative amplitude of the fourth light signal such that it contains only light reflected by the first object point.