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Physicists Close in on 'Superlens'

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the i-am-bender-please-insert-light dept.

An anonymous reader writes "In Oregon, physicists have developed a material for creating a real superlens that in theory could attain a one-nanometer visual resolution. The idea is to use exotic materials to create "negative" refraction of light, which literally means steering it in the opposite direction of that found in the natural world."

6 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. These would be nice! by Z-95 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Could these be set up like a traditional light microscope to make a cheaper atom scanning microscope than the electron microscope? This could open an entirely new door in the study of atomic particles.

    1. Re:These would be nice! by Teclis · · Score: 4, Interesting

      FYI. Scanning tunneling electron microscopes do get atomic resolution. Scanning electron microscopes do not.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanning_tunneling_mi croscope

      --
      Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what's right. --Isaac Asimov
  2. Negative Refraction by HateBreeder · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I thought you can get negative refraction, when an electromagnetic wave passes through a "Metamaterial" i.e. One with Negative Permittivity and Permeability.

    (for instnace, in a dispersive plasma cloud)

    --
    Sigs are for the weak.
  3. What about zone plates? by agm · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I always thought that zone plates ("lenses" that use diffraction instead of refraction) give a higher degree of accuracy a lower wavelengths. Zone plates are often used where a traditional lens is opaque to certain wavelengths outside of the visible spectrum.

  4. Is that really possible? by timerider · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I mean, how do you get 1nm visual resolution, when the wavelength of visual light ranges from 400-800 nm?

  5. Better links by ortholattice · · Score: 4, Interesting
    The original press release (no ads): http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2005/Dec0 5/optics.htm

    The actual paper (PDF file): http://www.physics.oregonstate.edu/~vpodolsk/repri nts.pdf/resolut.apl2005.pdf