Scientists count microscopic particles without a microscope

Scientists from Russia and Australia have proposed a simple new way of counting microscopic particles in optical materials by means of a laser. A light beam passing through such a material splits and forms a characteristic pattern consisting of numerous bright spots on a projection screen. The researchers found that the number of these spots corresponds exactly to the number of scattering microscopic particles in the optical material. Therefore, the structure and shape of any optical material can be determined without resorting to the use of expensive electron or atomic-force microscopy. According to the researchers, the new method will help design optical devices much faster. The work was published in Scientific Reports.

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