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Sci Tech
Nanoshell sensor to examine single molecules
RESEARCHERS AT Rice University have demonstrated the ability to control electromagnetic field around nanoparticles, opening the door for chemical screening techniques that allow doctors, life scientists to analyse even single molecules.
The research appeared in Applied Physics Letters. It builds upon the method of molecular analysis called Raman spectroscopy and capitalises on tunable optical properties of metal nanoshells, a novel type of nanoparticle invented at Rice.
There are applications for this technology in environmental science, chemistry and biosensing, and it may have applications in early detection of cancer said researchers.
Scientists use spectroscopy to discern information about everything from distant galaxies to individual molecules. By studying the spectrum of light that an object emits, elements present in the sample can be deciphered. Raman spectroscopy, in particular, allows scientists to observe the vibrational states of molecules, giving clues about where and how much molecules bend, for example, and serves as a `fingerprint' for the identification of specific molecules that may be of interest, such as environmental contaminants or chemical or biological toxins.
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