Chinese Researchers Print 4 Million Optical Neurons in 15 Minutes, Hitting 97%-99% Accuracy
Updated
Updated · EIN Presswire · Jul 17
Chinese Researchers Print 4 Million Optical Neurons in 15 Minutes, Hitting 97%-99% Accuracy
3 articles · Updated · EIN Presswire · Jul 17
Summary
A team led by the Chinese University of Hong Kong fabricated 4 million 500-nm optical neurons per square millimeter on a millimeter-scale chip in 15 minutes, setting a visible-light ONN speed record.
The advance uses randomized multi-focus two-photon lithography and holographic parallel scanning to overcome a key bottleneck in building dense optical neural networks for high-resolution vision processing.
The processor pairs a 3D-printed diffractive layer with a compact camera and a digital readout using as few as 1,000 weights, delivering 97%-99% accuracy in figure recognition, action recognition and face keypoint detection.
Researchers said the method can move from rapid prototyping to low-cost mass production through UV nanoimprinting, with potential applications in LiDAR, biomedical diagnostics and human-computer interaction.
The team said broader materials and tiled writing could extend the devices from near-UV to infrared and scale them toward centimeter-size optical systems.
With this record-setting optical chip, is China positioned to dominate the next generation of AI hardware?
A 15-minute print creates a brain-like chip. Is this the end for traditional silicon manufacturing?
As optical AI promises near-zero power use, how will it reshape our energy-hungry digital world?
Record-Breaking 10,000 Neurons/mm² Optical Neural Networks: China’s Leap in Fast, Scalable AI Chip Manufacturing
Overview
On July 17, 2026, Chinese researchers announced a major breakthrough in optical neural network (ONN) technology by unveiling a rapid fabrication method for high-density ONNs, published in 'Nature Photonics'. This development marks a pivotal moment for optical computing, as it addresses long-standing challenges in scaling up ONN fabrication and integration. The new technique enables the creation of ONNs with an unprecedented neuron density, paving the way for more energy-efficient and high-speed AI hardware. This achievement is set to accelerate advancements in artificial intelligence by making large-scale, powerful optical computing systems more practical and accessible.