Patent attributes
An optical-fiber measurement system includes an optical system that generates light and a spatial optical switch that is coupled to the optical system that processes the light generated by the optical system and generates light at a plurality of spatially distributed optical ports. A respective one of a plurality of optical cores at a first end of a multicore optical fiber is positioned to receive light from a respective one of the plurality of spatially distributed optical ports, where the light generated at the plurality of spatially distributed optical ports propagates through the multicore optical fiber. Distal optics is positioned adjacent to a second end of the multicore optical fiber and is positioned to collect light from a sample of interest so that the collected light from the sample of interest is coupled to the plurality of optical cores in the multicore optical fiber.