By passing infrared rays through an aqueous solution of silver ions, researchers at Japan’s Riken have succeeded in creating nano-sized three-dimensional silver objects, including these tetrapods measuring 1/500th of a millimeter.
Gold and silver ions exposed to ultraviolet rays have been known to solidify by absorbing the energy of photons inside the rays. However, because all sections where ultraviolet rays pass solidify, researchers were not able to create shapes and sizes according to their specifications.
The researchers solved the problem by using infrared rays, the photon energy of which is about one-half of ultraviolet rays. By employing apparatus capable of emitting laser bursts of an extremely short 1-trillionth of a second and lens capable of concentrating photons, the researchers succeeded in solidifying only certain sections and in making microscopic three-dimensional objects.
{Link: Sankei}
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