Researchers have developed an innovative method to decode the orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light passing through highly scattering media, such as biological tissues. Using a combination of optical techniques and deep learning, they have successfully recovered information encoded in the OAM of photons, even after significant scattering. This advance is crucial because light scattering in complex media has historically been a major obstacle to the use of OAM in biomedical and communication applications.

Orbital angular momentum is a property of light that allows for encoding additional information beyond polarization or intensity. However, in turbid environments, such as skin or organs, light scatters multiple times, destroying the spatial structure of OAM and making decoding extremely difficult. The new approach employs a deep learning algorithm trained to recognize OAM patterns in scattered light, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods based on adaptive optics or correlation.

This ability to decode OAM through biological tissues opens new avenues for high-capacity optical communication within the body, advanced biomedical imaging, and remote sensing. For example, it could enable the development of more sensitive biosensors or more efficient information delivery systems in biological environments. Although still in an experimental stage, this work lays the foundation for future applications that fully leverage the capabilities of orbital angular momentum under challenging conditions.