Scientists at Osaka University have designed a nanogate that opens and closes using electrical signals, offering precise control over ions and molecules.
This tiny innovation has the potential to transform sensing technology, chemical reactions, and even computing. By adjusting voltage, researchers can manipulate the gate’s behavior, making it a versatile tool for cutting-edge applications.
Nanogates: control at the macro and nanoscale.
A research team at POSTECH has developed a novel multidimensional sampling theory to overcome the limitations of flat optics. Their study not only identifies the constraints of conventional sampling theories in metasurface design but also presents an innovative anti-aliasing strategy that significantly enhances optical performance. Their findings were published in Nature Communications.
Flat optics is a cutting-edge technology that manipulates light at the nanoscale by patterning ultra-thin surfaces with nanostructures. Unlike traditional optical systems that rely on bulky lenses and mirrors, flat optics enables ultra-compact, high-performance optical devices. This innovation is particularly crucial in miniaturizing smartphone cameras (reducing the “camera bump”) and advancing AR/VR technologies.
Metasurfaces, one of the most promising applications of flat optics, rely on hundreds of millions of nanostructures to precisely sample and control the phase distribution of light. Sampling, in this context, refers to the process of converting analog optical signals into discrete data points—similar to how the human brain processes visual information by rapidly capturing multiple images per second to create continuous motion perception.
The term “nanoscale” refers to dimensions that are measured in nanometers (nm), with one nanometer equaling one-billionth of a meter. This scale encompasses sizes from approximately 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique physical, chemical, and biological properties emerge that are not present in bulk materials. At the nanoscale, materials exhibit phenomena such as quantum effects and increased surface area to volume ratios, which can significantly alter their optical, electrical, and magnetic behaviors. These characteristics make nanoscale materials highly valuable for a wide range of applications, including electronics, medicine, and materials science.
Posted in mapping, nanotechnology | Leave a Comment on Large-angle Lorentz Four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy for simultaneous local magnetization, strain and structure mapping
The authors present an approach to simultaneously map local magnetization, strain, atomic structure at nanoscale. It provides direct visualization of strainmagnetic coupling in ferromagnetic materials, opening avenues for studying nanomagnetism.
Researchers have developed nanoflower-coated bandages with antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, capable of killing bacteria and promoting wound healing.
A carnation-like nanostructure could one day be used in bandages to promote wound healing. Researchers report in ACS Applied Bio Materials that laboratory tests of their nanoflower-coated dressings demonstrate antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and biocompatible properties.
They state that these results indicate tannic acid and copper(II) phosphate sprouted nanoflower bandages are promising candidates for treating infections and inflammatory conditions.
In this study, the authors present optimization and efficacy testing of apolipoprotein-based lipid nanoparticles for delivering various nucleic acid therapeutics in vivo to immune cells and their progenitors in the bone marrow.
Current wearable and implantable biosensors still face challenges to improve sensitivity, stability and scalability. Here the authors report inkjet-printable, mass-producible core–shell nanoparticle-based biosensors to monitor a broad range of biomarkers.
In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Optica, this innovative instrument emerges from the collaborative genius of the National Quantum Science and Technology Institute (NQSTI), incorporating expertise from several esteemed institutions. The device serves as a window into a dual universe, allowing the simultaneous examination of phenomena governed by both classical laws and the bizarre rules of quantum mechanics.
At the heart of this discovery lies the technique of optical trapping, a method that harnesses the power of light to manipulate microscopic particles. Now, empowered by the insights of physicist Francesco Marin and his team, the dual laser setup dramatically enhances our understanding of how these nano-objects interact. As they oscillate in their laser confines, the spheres reveal a dance of behaviors—some that align with our everyday experiences, and others that defy our intuition.
The future of medicine may very well lie in the personalization of health care—knowing exactly what an individual needs and then delivering just the right mix of nutrients, metabolites, and medications, if necessary, to stabilize and improve their condition. To make this possible, physicians first need a way to continuously measure and monitor certain biomarkers of health.
To that end, a team of Caltech engineers has developed a technique for inkjet printing arrays of special nanoparticles that enables the mass production of long-lasting wearable sweat sensors. These sensors could be used to monitor a variety of biomarkers, such as vitamins, hormones, metabolites, and medications, in real time, providing patients and their physicians with the ability to continually follow changes in the levels of those molecules.
Wearable biosensors that incorporate the new nanoparticles have been successfully used to monitor metabolites in patients suffering from long COVID and the levels of chemotherapy drugs in cancer patients at City of Hope in Duarte, California.
Researchers at the University of Kentucky are exploring new ways to use nanoparticles in combination with other materials as an innovative approach to cancer therapy.
The paper titled “Iron Oxide Nanozymes Enhanced by Ascorbic Acid for Macrophage-Based Cancer Therapy” was published earlier this year in Nanoscale.
Sheng Tong, Ph.D., an associate professor in the F. Joseph Halcomb II, M.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering in the UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, led the study.
