Following our video series on Fresnel-Arago experiment's modern version, we have relased an arXiv paper describing how to mount the setup, prepare the sample and perform a selection of experiments. Many concepts of physical optics can be visually illustrated on a relatively simple optical setup in a table-top format, not requiring any very specific

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is widely used as a molecular ruler to monitor biomolecular conformations and interactions dynamics, but FRET is generally limited to distances below 10 nm. Last year, we showed that zero-mode waveguides (ZMW) nanoapertures can enable single molecule FRET detection at spatial distances exceeding 10 nm with

Soon our flag will flutter again over the Sea of Nanos. Wed. May 13th 2pm CEST: Ebbesen's Blade is on fly again. Thu. May 14th 3pm CEST: Shadow Princess took off and is fully operational. Fri. May 15th 12am CEST: Arcadia hashin! Thu. May 28th 4pm CEST: Queen Emeraldas Revenge is on fly. All our microscope setups are back and operational. Link to so

[Arcadia - Queen Emeraldas Revenge - Shadow Princess - Ebbesen's blade crew member] Immediate evacuation order by emergency exits. This is not an exercise. Retreat with calm and discipline. ---- Gentlemen, it's been an honour and a privilege to be your captain over these years. Good luck to all of you. [End of transmission] ... and remember I expec

Zero-mode waveguide nanoapertures receive a large interest owing to their ability to confine light at the nanoscale and improve the detection of single fluorescent molecules. However, unwanted adhesion of the targeted molecules onto the metal surface can be a major issue. In a recent article published in Scientific Reports, we highlight the role of

The natural autofluorescence of proteins in the UV is appealing to get the detailed information from single molecule data without requiring a potentially disturbing external fluorescent label. However, proteins feature significantly lower autofluorescence brightness and photostabilities than conventional fluorescent dyes. This issue has largely pre

Still not as famous on youtube as our esteemed colleague from Marseille, but going on the dark path

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) governs energy exchanges at the nanoscale and can be used to accurately measure intra- and inter-molecular distances with sub-nm accuracy. While photonic nanoantennas have been shown to modify FRET, most of the earlier experiments lacked the ability to manipulate the distance between the antenna and the emi

Adhesion layers of chromium or titanium are widely used in plasmonics to ensure a proper adhesion between a gold film and a glass substrate. However, very little is known about their influence on the thermal response. As a result, the adhesion layer is often ignored while designing the experiments. In a recent article published in Nanoscale, we dem

Organic chemistry is gaining an increasing interest in the optics lab these days. According to WHO, here is a simple hanrub sanitizer recipe: For a 1L solution, mix 833mL ethanol 96%, 4.2mL hydrogen peroxide 30%, 1.5mL glycerol and 161mL pure water. Shake well, avoid eye contact and do not even think of drinking it. Even viruses have nightmares. So