Abstract: The aim of the present description is a system for generating high peak power laser pulses including a light source for emitting initial nanosecond laser pulses, a fiber-based device for conveying laser pulses, including at least one first multimode fiber with a single core, a diffractive optical element and an optical system that generates, from each of said initial laser pulses, a laser pulse, the spatial intensity distribution of which on an input face of said first multimode fiber includes a “top hat” component summed with a speckle pattern. The system further includes a spatial shaping module that transforms a first electric field into a second electric field formed by a sum of N components that are at least partially spatially incoherent with one another, N?2, such that the contrast of said speckle pattern is limited compared to an initial contrast defined without a spatial shaping module.

Abstract: The present description relates, according to one aspect, to a high-peak-power laser pulse generation system (10), comprising at least one first light source (101) for emitting first laser pulses (IL), a fiber device (110) for transporting said first laser pulses, comprising at least one first multimode fiber with a single core designed to receive said first laser pulses, and a module (102) for temporally shaping said first laser pulses, arranged upstream of the fiber device, configured so as to reduce the power spectral density of said pulses by reducing the temporal coherence.

Abstract: A device for analysing a wavefront may be connected to a fluorescence microscopy imaging system with optical sectioning, equipped with a microscope objective including a pupil in a pupil plane, the analysis device including a two-dimensional detector including a detection plane; a two-dimensional arrangement of microlenses, arranged in an analysis plane, each microlens forming, on the detection plane, when the analysis device is connected to the microscopic imaging system, an image of an object situated in a focal plane of the microscope objective, with a given analysis field; an optical relay system optically conjugating the analysis plane and the pupil plane; a field diaphragm positioned in a plane optically conjugated with the plane of detection, and defining said analysis field; a processing unit that determines, based on the set of images formed by the microlenses, a two-dimensional map of a characteristic parameter of the wavefront in said analysis plane.

Abstract: The present description relates, according to one aspect, to a high-peak-power laser pulse generation system (10), comprising at least one first light source (101) for emitting first laser pulses (IL), a fiber device (110) for transporting said first laser pulses, comprising at least one first multimode fiber with a single core designed to receive said first laser pulses, and a module (102) for temporally shaping said first laser pulses, arranged upstream of the fiber device, configured so as to reduce the power spectral density of said pulses by reducing the temporal coherence.

Abstract: The present description relates, according to one aspect, to a high-peak-power laser pulse generation system (10) comprising at least one first light source (101) for emitting first nanosecond laser pulses (IL), a fiber device (110) for transporting said first laser pulses, comprising at least one first multimode fiber with a single core designed to receive said first laser pulses, and at least one first optical amplifier (120) arranged at the output of said fiber device for optically amplifying said first laser pulses in order to form said high-peak-power laser pulses.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the quality of the measurement of an optical wavefront, said measurement being obtained by means of a wavefront analyzer by direct measurement, the method comprising: the acquisition (10) of an optoelectronic signal for the measurement of the wavefront by means of a wavefront sensor, said sensor comprising a two-dimensional detector; the determination (11) on the basis of said optoelectronic signal of at least one parameter characteristic of a parasitic component of the optoelectronic signal; the evaluation (12) of a quality factor of the measurement of the wavefront as a function of said at least one parameter characteristic of the parasitic component of the signal; the display (13) to a user of a level of quality of the measurement as a function of said quality factor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hand-held microfluidic detection device, comprising: —a microfluidic cell (M) having at least one chamber intended to at least contain a sample; —a support (S) comprising a housing for the removable attachment thereto of the microfluidic cell (M); —excitation light means arranged at least in part in the support (S) to side illuminate the at least one chamber of the microfluidic cell (M) to excite the sample contained therein; —an optical detector (D) configured and arranged to detect light emitted from the sample when excited with said side illumination; and —a casing (C) constituting an envelope into which at least the support (S) is housed and attached.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hand-held microfluidic detection device, comprising: a microfluidic cell (M) having at least one chamber intended to at least contain a sample; a support (S) comprising a housing for the removable attachment thereto of the microfluidic cell (M); excitation light means arranged at least in part in the support (S) to side illuminate the at least one chamber of the microfluidic cell (M) to excite the sample contained therein; an optical detector (D) configured and arranged to detect light emitted from the sample when excited with said side illumination; and a casing (C) constituting an envelope into which at least the support (S) is housed and attached.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the quality of the measurement of an optical wavefront, said measurement being obtained by means of a wavefront analyzer by direct measurement, the method comprising: the acquisition (10) of an optoelectronic signal for the measurement of the wavefront by means of a wavefront sensor, said sensor comprising a two-dimensional detector; the determination (11) on the basis of said optoelectronic signal of at least one parameter characteristic of a parasitic component of the optoelectronic signal; the evaluation (12) of a quality factor of the measurement of the wavefront as a function of said at least one parameter characteristic of the parasitic component of the signal; the display (13) to a user of a level of quality of the measurement as a function of said quality factor.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the invention concerns a method for microscopy of a thick sample arranged on a sample support, with edge-illumination of the sample. The method comprises, in particular, emitting at least one illumination beam (1), forming, from the illumination beam, an illumination surface, focusing the illumination surface in the sample by means of a microscope lens (120) and deflecting the illumination surface originating from the microscope lens, in order to form a transverse illumination surface, located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the microscope lens.

Abstract: The invention concerns, in one aspect, an actuator for generating a bidirectional force intended for being integrated into a deformable mirror comprising a deformable reflective substrate. Said actuator comprises a stationary body (10); a drive device; a drive rod (20) able to be driven in a translatory movement with respect to the stationary body (10), along an axis of translation (xx?), by means of the drive device; a floating head (30) designed to be attached to the deformable reflective substrate, and mounted in floating manner with respect to the drive rod via first and second elastic means (33, 35). The first and second elastic means (33, 35) are each mounted between the drive rod (20) and the floating head (30) and are designed to apply forces to the floating head, whose projections on the translation axis (xx?) are of opposite directions.

Abstract: A super-resolution microscopy method includes forming an image of an emitting particle in a detection plane of a detector by a microscopy imaging system and correcting, by a wavefront-modulating device, at least some of the optical defects present between the emitting particle and the detection plane. The method further includes introducing, via the wavefront-modulating device, a deformation of the wavefront emitted by the emitting particle, of variable amplitude, allowing a bijective relationship to be formed between the shape of the image of the emitting particle in the detection plane and the axial position of the emitting particle relative to an object plane that is optically conjugated with the detection plane by the microscopy imaging system. The method further includes controlling the amplitude of the deformation of the wavefront by controlling the wavefront-modulating device, as a function of the given range of values of the axial position of the particle.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reducing the dimensions of an incident light beam of large dimensions are disclosed. The method includes the dispatching of a first light beam toward a partially reflecting plate of dimensions suitable for the dimensions of the light beam of large dimensions, the dispatching onto a convergent reflective element of a second light beam arising from the transmission through the partially reflecting plate of the first light beam, the dispatching of a third light beam arising from the reflection on the convergent reflective element of the second light beam, toward said partially reflecting plate, and the reflection of the third beam on the partially reflecting plate so as to form a fourth light beam.

Abstract: According to one aspect, the invention concerns a method for microscopy of a thick sample arranged on a sample support, with edge-illumination of the sample. The method comprises, in particular, emitting at least one illumination beam (1), forming, from the illumination beam, an illumination surface, focusing the illumination surface in the sample by means of a microscope lens (120) and deflecting the illumination surface originating from the microscope lens, in order to form a transverse illumination surface, located in a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the microscope lens.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reducing the dimensions of an incident light beam of large dimensions are disclosed. The method includes the dispatching of a first light beam toward a partially reflecting plate of dimensions suitable for the dimensions of the light beam of large dimensions, the dispatching onto a convergent reflective element of a second light beam arising from the transmission through the partially reflecting plate of the first light beam, the dispatching of a third light beam arising from the reflection on the convergent reflective element of the second light beam, toward said partially reflecting plate, and the reflection of the third beam on the partially reflecting plate so as to form a fourth light beam.

Abstract: Method for shielding a high-power laser apparatus (S) in which a laser beam is generated and then amplified in at least a first amplification stage, including spatial filtering (4) of the amplified laser beam, phase correction (3) carried out on the laser beam before it is spatially filtered, and a measurement of the aberrations (7) on the laser beam. The phase of the beam is corrected so as to produce a beam having minimal aberrations after spatial filtering. The shielding device (D, D?) implementing this method may in particular be employed in apparatus using an intense laser beam of high (terawatt) peak power and in proton therapy units.

Abstract: A super-resolution microscopy method includes forming an image of an emitting particle in a detection plane of a detector by a microscopy imaging system and correcting, by a wavefront-modulating device, at least some of the optical defects present between the emitting particle and the detection plane. The method further includes introducing, via the wavefront-modulating device, a deformation of the wavefront emitted by the emitting particle, of variable amplitude, allowing a bijective relationship to be formed between the shape of the image of the emitting particle in the detection plane and the axial position of the emitting particle relative to an object plane that is optically conjugated with the detection plane by the microscopy imaging system. The method further includes controlling the amplitude of the deformation of the wavefront by controlling the wavefront-modulating device, as a function of the given range of values of the axial position of the particle.

Abstract: A method for correcting a wave front analyzer, in which the analyzer detects a signal from an incident wave front to be analyzed (FO), the detected signal providing phase and intensity local information. The method includes correcting the phase computation according to intensity space variations. A wave front analyzer for implementing the method is also described.

Abstract: An instrument (1) for characterizing an optical system, includes: at least one primary source (3) for emitting an illumination light beam (FE); an optical device for directing the illumination beam (FE) onto the optical system (L) to be characterized; a wave front analyzer (4) adapted for receiving a beam from the optical system (L); and a unit for processing the measure signals from the wave front analyzer (4), adapted for providing characterization information of the optical system (L). The instrument further includes a scattering member (22) substantially provided in the focal plane of the optical system (L) so as to create a secondary source generating a secondary beam flowing through the optical system (L) and further directed towards the wave front analyzer.

Abstract: A method for correcting a wave front analyzer, in which the analyzer detects a signal from an incident wave front to be analyzed (FO), the detected signal providing phase and intensity local information. The method includes correcting the phase computation according to intensity space variations. A wave front analyzer for implementing the method is also described.