  While a large fraction of the stars are in multiple systems, our
understanding of the processes leading to the formation of these systems is
still inadequate. Given the large theoretical uncertainties, observation plays
a basic role. Here we discuss the contribution of high contrast imaging, and
more specifically of the SPHERE instrument at the ESO Very Large Telescope, in
this area. SPHERE nicely complements other techniques - in particular those
exploiting Gaia and ALMA - in detecting and characterising systems near the
peak of the distribution with separation and allows to capture snapshots of
binary formation within disks that are invaluable for the understanding of disk
fragmentation.

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;Earth and Planetary Astrophysics;Astrophysics of Galaxies;Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics