Micro-ear lets scientists eavesdrop on the micro-world

(PhysOrg.com) -- Acting as a microscope for sound, a new device called a micro-ear could make objects on the micro-scale audible. The device could enable scientists to listen to the sounds that cells and bacteria make as ...

Small optical force can budge nanoscale objects

(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineering researchers have used a very tiny beam of light with as little as 1 milliwatt of power to move a silicon structure up to 12 nanometers.

Tailoring the optical dipole force for use on molecules

(PhysOrg.com) -- "Scientists have been working with dipole fields for quite some time," Peter Barker tells PhysOrg.com. "However, most of the work is focused on very small particles, like atoms, or on larger particles, such ...

Acoustic tweezers can position tiny objects

(PhysOrg.com) -- Manipulating tiny objects like single cells or nanosized beads often requires relatively large, unwieldy equipment, but now a system that uses sound as a tiny tweezers can be small enough to place on a chip, ...

Researchers control biofilm formation using optical traps

Biofilms—slimy layers formed when bacteria stick together on a surface—allow bacteria to shield themselves from extreme environments and even evade antibiotics. In a new study, researchers have shown that laser light ...

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