Nonstick and laser-safe gold aids laser trapping of biomolecules

Biophysicists long for an ideal material -- something more structured and less sticky than a standard glass surface -to anchor and position individual biomolecules. Gold is an alluring possibility, with its simple chemistry and the ease with which it can be patterned. Unfortunately, gold also tends to be sticky and can be melted by lasers. Now, biophysicists at JILA have made gold more precious than ever -at least as a research tool -by creating nonstick gold surfaces and laser-safe gold nanoposts, a potential boon to laser trapping of biomolecules.

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