Nature Nanotechnology - Current issue : October 2008 - Vol 3 No 10
- Borosilicate nanoparticles made easy
- Nanomaterials: Show of strength by nanotubes
- Biosensors: Crossing the channel
- Catalysis: One nanoparticle at a time FREE
Latest highlights
Advance online publication
Nanophotonics
Letter by Pyayt et al.Confining light below the diffraction limit is likely to be a feature of future optical data transmission systems, but it will be necessary to integrate such waveguides with diffraction–limited components. The coupling of light from a polymer optical waveguide into multiple silver nanowire plasmonic waveguides shows that this will be possible.
Advance online publication
Microscopy of graphene
Article by Gass et al.A combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy has been used to produce and analyse images of free–standing graphene sheets with atomic resolution. The influence of microstructural peculiarities on the stability of the sheets and the evolution and interaction of point defects were also explored.
Advance online publication
Cell culture
Letter by Pek et al.Polymer–silica nanocomposite gels can be used to culture cells in a three–dimensional environment, offering a way to propagate cells without using enzymes to dissociate them from the surface of conventional cell culture flasks. This approach relies on the dependence of the viscosity of the gel on stress.
Advance online publication
Nanopatterning
Article by Cheng et al.Nanoparticle superlattices are promising for many applications but the de–wetting processes used to produce these systems are not compatible with conventional patterning methods. Researchers have now developed a patterning approach that involves moulding microdroplets containing the nanoparticles and spatially regulating their de–wetting process.
Research Highlights
Magnetic imaging with diamond, a material that expands when compressed, and imaging electrons with plasmonic light.
Advance online publication
Molecular switches
Letter by Dri et al.The development of molecular devices will require functional molecules that can be integrated into larger architectures and addressed selectively. Now it has been shown that molecular switches, adsorbed in a homogeneous two–dimensional layer, can be collectively switched with spatial selectivity.