Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have created a microresonator that can be used for home diagnostics. The results of the work of scientists published in the journal Nature Communications.
The microresonator is an optical sensor of the long wave infrared spectrum. According to scientists, it could be used in devices that analyze chemicals using light.
“It can shine 100 times longer than previous versions. This breakthrough will aid in the development of particle detection and spectroscopic chemical identification technologies. With their help, scientists analyze a gas or liquid sample for the presence of viruses, bacteria or other harmful substances.”
The micro-resonator can be used to create frequency combs – laser beams – whose spectrum consists of a series of discrete, equidistant frequency lines. This technology is used in a wide variety of electronic devices, from GPS and telecommunications networks to atomic clocks.
The authors of the development say that in the future such sensors will make it possible to quickly conduct blood tests, for example, for the presence of viruses and bacteria, and come to the doctor with ready-made results.