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Scientist Designs Nanoparticle Optics That Self-Assemble
Posted by Kit Eaton at 12:10 AM on November 6, 2008
Nanoparticles that self-assemble into complex optical structures sounds like an early ingredient in a future Robot Uprising recipe, but the science team at University of California, Berkeley thinks they'll be useful for nicely tame things. The self-assembly of the nanoparticle silver crystals can be controlled to produce different nano "devices" and it's a a neat way of putting together nanotech that is more typically produced top-down by lithography. The devices can be as diverse as colour-changing paint, optical computer elements, and ultrasensitive chemical sensors.
Most interesting, perhaps, is the possibility of using the nanoparticles to construct metamaterials. In this guise they may find use as "invisibility cloaks"... which are currently nearly impossible to manufacture, and that's where the self-assembly part comes in.
The octahedral silver nanoparticles are produced in solution, and are relatively large scale, which lends them potentially better optical properties than competing nanoparticle inventions. [TechnologyReview]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
Posted 2:43 AM 6/11/08
@lifetraveler: I'm pretty sure the properties of mimetic poly alloys is beyond our capacity at the moment. Whew!
Kaiser-Machead's Cookie-Powered LEGO Machine
lifetraveler
Posted 2:38 AM 6/11/08
"The devices can be as diverse as color-changing paint, optical computer elements, and ultrasensitive chemical sensors...."
...and shape-shifting liquid mercury terminators...
lifetraveler
Migo
Posted 2:22 AM 6/11/08
I can see where we're headed now.
+ Watch video
Migo
Eauboy
Posted 2:21 AM 6/11/08
Can I tell it to turn into a Nikon D-90?
Eauboy
jdbaile3
Posted 2:18 AM 6/11/08
nano-tetris ftw!
jdbaile3
lpranal
Posted 2:15 AM 6/11/08
ZOMG!! GREY GOO IS HERE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
lpranal
Jrsy is the dude, playin' the dude, disguised as another dude
Posted 2:14 AM 6/11/08
The first thing this should be applied to is 'self-repairing while in use' condoms cuz ya know, accidents happen....
Jrsy is the dude, playin' the dude, disguised as another dude
1roll20s
Posted 2:57 AM 6/11/08
Or theoretically perfect lenses for cameras?
1roll20s
SuppleMonkey
Posted 2:56 AM 6/11/08
Next up: Nano-Voltron!
SuppleMonkey
loslosbaby
Posted 2:55 AM 6/11/08
I vote that the Goo is here as well. Just wait until it self-assembles into an oxygen-eating ultra catalyzer that turns sunlight into CO.
loslosbaby
Ibelieveinsandwitches
Posted 3:09 AM 6/11/08
@1roll20s:
just as long as they remain theoretically perfect and not actually perfect.
Ibelieveinsandwitches
MclarenF1
Posted 4:22 AM 6/11/08
What's up prey! Michel Crichton eat your heart out
MclarenF1
iamnomad
Posted 4:11 AM 6/11/08
...with special funding support from Skynet.
iamnomad
bobmarley101
Posted 4:43 AM 6/11/08
The devices can be as diverse as color-changing paint...
Wooo Hypercolor is back!
bobmarley101
Lupison
Posted 4:41 AM 6/11/08
Only you can prevent Gray Goo.
Lupison
blackmage439
Posted 4:34 AM 6/11/08
Stargate fans, the Replicators have arrived...
[en.wikipedia.org])
blackmage439
melak
Posted 4:52 AM 6/11/08
@Migo: When I read this, these are the first things that popped into my head.
melak
PDXoPDX
Posted 5:47 AM 6/11/08
Now to teach them to self-replicate...
PDXoPDX
Ibelieveinsandwitches
Posted 5:44 AM 6/11/08
@MclarenF1:
unfortunately he died yesterday.
[www.cnn.com]
Ibelieveinsandwitches
GTgeek
Posted 6:04 AM 6/11/08
@blackmage439: I thought the same thing, although they're just particles and not intelligent in any way. Besides, if they were replicators, they wouldn't destroy their creators anyway, they just wouldn't protect us from alien invasion.
GTgeek
CHUCK1UP
Posted 7:18 AM 6/11/08
It's a SNAKE! Get these M*** F*** Snakes out my M*** F*** Electron Microscope!
CHUCK1UP
shpe11
Posted 10:03 AM 6/11/08
I see all in one camera lenses. :)
shpe11
DaSmith
Posted 10:19 AM 6/11/08
Now that is why the Ancients got so many head aches... Some people never learn. And they say that TV is bad for you...
DaSmith
StealthNinja
Posted 1:19 PM 6/11/08
So since these are nanoparticle optics that can morphe, and self assemble with ai, can they display actual images of the environment surrounding the nanotechnology materials, like a Predator in Predator vs. Alien 2 etc...? Hmmm, sounds spooky, lol.
StealthNinja
StealthNinja
Posted 1:17 PM 6/11/08
But can these optics display and bend UV rays with out glowing on a nanoparticle shape memory quantum display on a redeveloped nano-polymer that can rebuild itself and have other measures with ai?
StealthNinja
TheLostVikings
Posted 8:50 PM 6/11/08
@StealthNinja: Stop the premature creaming of your pants, there is no A.I. of any kind involved here.
TheLostVikings