Scientists employ a powerful laser to breathe new life into
an old technology for studying atomic-level structures
A multi-university team has employed a high-powered laser to
dramatically improve one of the tools scientists use to study the world at the
atomic level. The team was able to use their amped-up electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR) spectrometer to study the electron spin of free radicals and
nitrogen atoms trapped inside a diamond.
The improvement will pull back the veil that shrouds the
molecular world, allowing scientists to study tiny molecules at a high
resolution.
The team, which includes researchers from USC, the
University of California-Santa Barbara and Florida State University, will
publish their findings in Nature on September 20.