Imaging with Particles that Emit Laser Light
For several years, lead iodide perovskite has been the preferred compound for manufacturing solar panels. It is a hybrid organic-inorganic material that absorbs and holds light energy. Now, researchers at Harvard and MIT are using this crystalline structure to fabricate nanowires that become embedded in tissue specimens. As this piece describes it: “a laser beam [can be shined] into a three-dimensional sample of tissue embedded throughout with laser particles, and use a lens to focus the beam at a specific depth. Only those particles in the beam’s focus will absorb enough light or energy to turn on as lasers themselves. All other particles upstream of the path’s beam should absorb less energy and only emit fluorescent light.” The upshot of this “Laser particle Stimulate Emission” microscopy is much sharper images of tissue, layer by layer. One drawback at this point is that these researchers will have to find a laser-light emitting material that is biocompatible with living tissue. MORE
Image Credit: Pixabay