The research team at Rice University's Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP) created a rice-shaped particles of gold and iron oxide which they whimsically called "nanorice".

Nanoparticles such as the nanorice can be used to focus light on small regions of space. The research team at Rice University plans to utilize the material by moving the grains next to proteins and unmapped features on the surfaces of cells in the hope of getting a far clearer picture than what's available with current technology.

The nanorice research will appear in the April 12 issue of Nano Letters.

"The distinct advantage of the nanorice particle over nanoparticle dimers is that the electric field enhancements occur on open-ended surfaces of the particle that are much more accessible," said Halas, The Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and professor of chemistry. "For SERS and SPR applications, we believe nanorice may have the field intensities needed to characterize biomolecules -- like proteins and DNA -- that adsorb on the particle."

LANP Director Naomi Halas discussed the findings at 11:30 a.m. on March 14 at a press conference at the American Physical Society's 2006 March Meeting in room 334 of the Baltimore Convention Center.

News and Photo Source: [EurekAlert] & [Rice University]