A Star Trek ‘tractor’ beam for microscopic objects
January 28, 2013
In the experimental system, a light beam is converted into a pulling device that gathers microscopic (<5 microns) polystyrene spheres, like when using a chain (credit: University of St Andrews)
A miniature “tractor” beam that allows a beam of light to attract objects (as featured in Star Trek movies) has been created by researchers from the University of St Andrews and the Institute of Scientific Instruments (ISI) in the Czech Republic.
This is the first time a light beam has been used to draw objects towards a light source. It generates a special optical field that efficiently reverses the radiation pressure of light.
The new technique could lead to more efficient medical testing, for examination of blood samples, for example.
The team discovered a technique that allows them to provide “negative” force acting on microparticles.
Normally, when matter and light interact, the solid object is pushed by the light and carried away in the stream of photons. This radiation force was first identified by Johanes Kepler when observing that tails of comets point away from the sun.
Over recent years researchers have realized that while this is the case for most of the optical fields, there is a space of parameters when this force reverses.
The scientists at St Andrews and ISI have now demonstrated the first experimental realization of this concept together with applications for biomedical photonics (allowing, for example, sorting of macromolecules, organelles, and cells) and other disciplines.
The occurrence of a negative force is specific to the properties of the object, such as size and composition. This allows optical sorting of microparticles in a simple, inexpensive device.
Tractor beam experimental setup (credit: O. Brzobohaty et al./Nature Photonics)
Interestingly, the scientists identified certain conditions in which objects held by the “tractor” beam force-field re-arranged themselves to form a structure that made the beam even stronger.
Starship Enterprise “tractor beam” in operation
Comments (6)
by cameronarndt
I wonder what the limiting factors are currently for scaling this effect to larger applications, and what the theoretical maximums are?
by Bucephalos
I remember that in Star Trek they have artificial gravity, which is produced by the (fictional) gravtion emitting pad (enbedded in the floor).
If they have graviton emission technology, why do they just use that in place of tractor beams? (The whole Star Trek show is filled with other equally rediculous wasteful use of technology. If they Data-grade robot, why don’t they just mass-produce it to do the exploration and fighting(which sometimes results in casualty in the TV show) for themselves?)
But anyways, great discovery.
BTW, I remember that on a Wikipedia page on gravity, they say that is thought by some scientist that gavity may not be a fundamental force.
Could this new discovery help us understand gravity better? And even allow manipulation of gravity?
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity#Historical_alternative_theories
by Spotted Marley
Data mentions in several episodes that his positronic brain is so highly complex that even he could not replicate it and, in fact, his one attempt at doing so resulted in the creation of his daughter, Lull, who only lived a short time before her positronic brain crashed. His father, Dr Noonian Soong, took the secret of Data’s brain to his grave. Not even Geordi Laforge can build one.
by Bucephalos
What does positron have to do with intelligence?
Is it some sort of quantum computer?
Yeah, I know that taking Star Trek too seriously is preposterous, but they should give it a better name.
by Spotted Marley
haha, havent you ever watched? EVERYTHING is quantum on star trek!
by Ralph Dratman
No, Star Trek is serious and completely scientific.