High-speed optical wireless communication can address the exponential growth in data traffic. Adaptive beamforming customized for the target location is crucial, but existing solutions such as liquidcrystal spatial light modulators and microelectromechanical systems require costly micro/nano manufacturing, delicate alignment, and a high degree of mechanical stability. These challenges reflect the fragility of integrating a fiber network with micro/nano mechanical or photonic systems. Here, we realize low-cost, low-loss, and fiber-compatible beamforming and continuous beam steering through controlled bending of a multi-mode fiber that modifies its modal coupling, and use it to enable flexible optical wireless communication at 10 Gb/s. By using the fiber modal coupling as degrees of freedom rather than an impediment, this approach offers a promising solution for flexible and cost-effective optical wireless communication networks.

翻译：高速光学无线通信可应对数据流量的指数级增长。针对目标位置定制的自适应波束成形至关重要，但现有解决方案（如液晶空间光调制器与微机电系统）需要昂贵的微纳加工、精密对准及高度机械稳定性。这些挑战折射出光纤网络与微纳机械/光电系统集成的脆弱性。本文通过受控弯曲多模光纤来改变其模态耦合，实现了低成本、低损耗、光纤兼容的波束成形与连续波束转向，并成功实现了10 Gb/s的灵活光学无线通信。该方法将光纤模态耦合作为自由度而非障碍加以利用，为灵活且经济高效的光学无线通信网络提供了有前景的解决方案。