Chiro-optical force observed at the nanoscale

A research group at the Institute for Molecular Science has successfully observed the left and right handedness of material structures at the nanoscale, by illuminating chiral gold nanostructures with circularly polarized ...

Researchers make biodegradable optical components from crab shells

Researchers have developed a process to turn crab shells into a bioplastic that can be used to make optical components known as diffraction gratings. The resulting lightweight, inexpensive gratings are biodegradable and could ...

Advance in 'optical tweezers' to boost biomedical research

Much like the Jedis in Star Wars use the Force to control objects from a distance, scientists can use light or optical force to move very small particles. The inventors of this ground-breaking laser technology, known as "optical ...

Chemists make cellular forces visible at the molecular scale

Scientists have developed a new technique using tools made of luminescent DNA, lit up like fireflies, to visualize the mechanical forces of cells at the molecular level. Nature Methods published the work, led by chemists ...

May the force be with you: Detecting ultrafast light by its force

A McGill research team has developed a new technique to detect nano-sized imperfections in materials. They believe this discovery will lead to improvements in the optical detectors used in a wide range of technologies, from ...

Team uncovers the underlying mechanisms of 3-D tissue formation

If you want to build an organ for transplant, you need to think in 3-D. Using stem cells, scientists are now able to grow parts of organs in the lab, but that is a far cry from constructing a fully-formed, functioning, three-dimensional ...

'Optical rocket' created with intense laser light

In a recent experiment at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, plasma electrons in the paths of intense laser light pulses were almost instantly accelerated close to the speed of light.

Atomic blasting creates new devices to measure nanoparticles

Like sandblasting at the nanometer scale, focused beams of ions ablate hard materials to form intricate three-dimensional patterns. The beams can create tiny features in the lateral dimensions—length and width, but to create ...

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