Optical system and method

A system comprising:

• a waveguide apparatus comprising a plurality of input waveguides, a multimode waveguide, and a guided-wave transition coupling the plurality of input waveguides to the multimode waveguide, wherein a length of the multimode waveguide is much shorter than a length of the waveguide apparatus, wherein each of the input waveguides is a single mode waveguide, and wherein each of the input waveguides is polarization maintaining;
• at least one light source configured to excite the input waveguides with a plurality of different sets of at least one of selected amplitudes or selected phases in turn, thereby generating a plurality of different desired light patterns in turn at an output of the waveguide apparatus,
• wherein the waveguide apparatus is configured to direct each of the plurality of different desired light patterns to a target region;
• and
• at least one detector configured to detect light transmitted, reflected or emitted from the target region in response to each of the different desired light patterns, and to output signals representing the detected light,
• wherein each of the plurality of different desired light patterns formed when a single core of a multi-core section of the waveguide apparatus is excited is insensitive to bending of the waveguide apparatus.

A method comprising:

• by at least one light source, exciting in turn each of a plurality of input waveguides of a waveguide apparatus, or a plurality of combinations of the input waveguides, or individually each of the input waveguides, or exciting the input waveguides with a plurality of different sets of at least one of selected amplitudes or selected phases in turn, thereby generating a plurality of different light patterns in turn at an output of the waveguide apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of different light patterns formed when a single core of a multi-core section of the waveguide apparatus is excited is insensitive to bending of the waveguide apparatus, wherein the waveguide apparatus comprises the plurality of input waveguides, a multimode waveguide, and a guided-wave transition coupling the plurality of input waveguides to the multimode waveguide, wherein a length of the multimode waveguide is much shorter than a length of the waveguide apparatus, and wherein each of the input waveguides is a single mode waveguide, and wherein each of the input waveguides is polarization maintaining;
• directing by the waveguide apparatus each of the plurality of different light patterns to a target region;
• detecting by at least one detector light transmitted, reflected or emitted from the target region in response to each of the different light patterns;
• and
• outputting by the detector signals representing the detected light.