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Published online 18 October 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.1013

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Trapped light rattles its cage

Crystals that can confine both light and vibrations could create better biosensors.

Zeeya Merali

Light and mechanical vibrations have been imprisoned together for the first time ever in the same place. An artificial crystal that traps both could lead to ultra-sensitive biosensors, create an interface for devices on a chip and provide an elegant cooling mechanism to help test quantum limits.

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  • Thank you Oskar Painter for your beautifully simple experiments leading to this advancement. Wonderful work.
    Thanks also for the clearly written and easily read report Zeeya Merali.

    • 20 Oct, 2009
    • Posted by: George W. Katsilometes