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Building New Materials With Light

Posted by Soulskill on from the when-all-you-have-is-a-lighthammer,-everything-looks-like-a-lightnail dept.

ckwu writes "Since the 1970s, physicists have used laser beams to trap and study small objects, from cells down to individual atoms. Now, electrical engineers at the University of Southern California have developed a simple optical system that assembles hundreds of nanoparticles into two-dimensional structures using a single laser beam and a silicon photonic crystal. This compact optical trap fits on a small chip and could eventually help researchers make materials for new types of sensors, optical devices, and chemical filters."

17 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. AR-15 Lower Receiver by stevegee58 · · Score: 1

    Oh Boy! When can I buy one and make an AR-15?

    1. Re:AR-15 Lower Receiver by sethradio · · Score: 1

      Never! We can't let you make weapons out of nothing -- we need to keep our kids safe!

      --
      "Nationalism is an infantile sickness. It is the measles of the human race." -Albert Einstein
  2. Playing the game... by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 2

    Of course the first thing to be made out of light would be bridges...

    1. Re:Playing the game... by Ginger+Unicorn · · Score: 1

      As in Jeff Bridges in TRON? That's what this laser beam thing reminds me of. (but you probably mean the bifrost from Thor)

      --
      (1.21 gigawatts) / (88 miles per hour) = 30 757 874 newtons
    2. Re:Playing the game... by Bobfrankly1 · · Score: 1

      As in Jeff Bridges in TRON? That's what this laser beam thing reminds me of. (but you probably mean the bifrost from Thor)

      Note the subject. Light bridges are a common occurrence in many sci-fi/futuristic games.

    3. Re:Playing the game... by markana · · Score: 1

      Especially Halo - hard-light stuff everywhere

      (including bridges)

  3. Re:Frost. by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is just getting painful....
    http://www.davidicke.com/articles/planetary-change-mainmenu-66/23903-alaskas-hubbard-glacier-advancing-seven-feet-a-day

    For those with ESL, advancing means to move forward. Grow means to get bigger. BACK IN 2009, the glacier started to melt fast enough that it started advancing on a cushion of meltwater toward Gilbert Point.

    Along with issues like this, the global seawater high tide line is rising annually at a measurable level, and there will soon be a permanent route through the arctic ocean. This is all beside what's happening in Greenland, where the ice cap has melted enough that the island is actually rising out of the ocean (due to less mass pushing it down into the water).

    None of this is breaking news; the information has been around for years. The spinning is somewhat new however, and goes both directions.

    So please; stop the spin and get back to taking the frosty on other topics. This one's so old that even BSD declares it's dead.

  4. Oh geez by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    One dimension away from being a 3D printing story. What's happening Slashdot?

  5. Strength of materials analysis by mbstone · · Score: 4, Funny

    Structures made of light are less sturdy than those made of straw, or bricks, nevertheless they are immune to being blown down with mere huffing and puffing.

  6. REPLICATOR from STAR TREK? by sanman2 · · Score: 1

    Could this device be the beginnings of eventual Star Trek style replicator technology?

  7. 4th Pig's House of [Laser] Light would work! by girlinatrainingbra · · Score: 1

    You left out houses made of "sticks" [there were three little pigs], but otherwise, your analysis is spot-on! But even if they're immune from being blown down, I don't think they'd do a good job of stopping the wolf from getting in.
    .
    Wait, I retract that. If the light is of a high enough intensity, it'd be life a force-field with enough power to burn or vaporize or plasma-ize anything that tries to come in contact with it. Yes, this mysterious 4th pigs "House of Light" would be impervious to the wolf!

    1. Re:4th Pig's House of [Laser] Light would work! by TemporalBeing · · Score: 1

      You left out houses made of "sticks" [there were three little pigs], but otherwise, your analysis is spot-on! But even if they're immune from being blown down, I don't think they'd do a good job of stopping the wolf from getting in. . Wait, I retract that. If the light is of a high enough intensity, it'd be life a force-field with enough power to burn or vaporize or plasma-ize anything that tries to come in contact with it. Yes, this mysterious 4th pigs "House of Light" would be impervious to the wolf!

      What you don't know is that aliens are all around us and that stars are really just what you described the mysterious fourth pigs house as being...just with aliens inside.

      --
      Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away. - Elvis Presley (source: imdb.com)
  8. Nanolathing by KingKaneOfNod · · Score: 1

    Anyone else reminded of Total Annihilation when they read this?

    1. Re:Nanolathing by maugle · · Score: 1

      I knew I couldn't be the only one!

  9. Lieutenant... by houbou · · Score: 1

    On my orders: Engage Tractor Beam NOW! :)

  10. Re:666 The End is Here by kermidge · · Score: 1

    For a minute I was wondering if there was anyones' ox you left un-Gored.

  11. The Dig by Cutriss · · Score: 1

    Boston: If they can make bridges out of light, you have to wonder if they can make anything else.
    Maggie: You mean...Light beer?
    Boston: I was thinking more of a light house.

    --
    "Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."