New technique sculpts tiny tools for optical precision

Scientists have developed a new way to create miniature optical components that shape light into non-diffracting beams, paving the way for smaller, more versatile optical systems. By directly writing tiny patterns with a femtosecond laser, they can tailor these components to specific tasks, like trapping particles or manipulating light for advanced imaging.

Shine On: Avalanching Nanoparticles Break Barriers to Imaging Cells in Real Time

A team of researchers co-led by Berkeley Lab and Columbia University has developed a new material called avalanching nanoparticles that, when used as a microscopic probe, offers a simpler approach to taking high-resolution, real-time snapshots of a cell’s inner workings at the nanoscale.