Nanjing University researchers develop LightELF system to track optical knots for high-throughput data transmission

Nanjing University researchers use neuromorphic "LightELF" technology to decode data in optical knots, achieving microsecond-level temporal resolution.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 17, 2026, 7:03 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Chinese Society for Optical Engineering

Revolutionizing Structured Light Through Neuromorphic Detection

Researchers from Nanjing University have introduced a pioneering technology called LightELF to address the complexities of information transmission using structured light. The study, published in PhotoniX, details a new method for detecting phase singularities, which are regions of darkness within an optical field that evolve into intricate knotted trajectories. According to the research team, these topological knots offer a high-capacity medium for encoding data, yet they have historically been difficult to track in real time. The LightELF system provides a technical pathway to capture these rapid evolutions by merging neuromorphic photonics with singular optics.

Overcoming the Inefficiencies of Conventional Intensity Detectors

Standard optical detection relies on frame-by-frame intensity localization, a process that requires long exposure times to capture points of darkness where light intensity vanishes. This traditional approach frequently results in massive amounts of redundant data and severely restricted transmission speeds. To bypass these hurdles, the Nanjing team developed Logarithmic Intensity Gradient Handling Technology for Event-based Links and knots Formation, or LightELF. According to the study, this method shifts away from capturing full images and instead focuses exclusively on the movement and evolution of the singularities themselves.

The Mechanics of Asynchronous Sampling and Gradient Processing

The LightELF system operates through an asynchronous sampling mechanism that only outputs data when an optical gradient exceeds a specific threshold. This allows for microsecond-level temporal resolution while significantly reducing the volume of data generated during transmission. According to lead researchers Jianping Ding and Hui-Tian Wang, the system leverages the naturally high intensity gradients found around optical singularities. By performing logarithmic processing at the hardware level, LightELF can reconstruct the topological evolution of these light knots without the need for the heavy post-processing typically required by classical detectors.