Wake Forest Physics
Nationally recognized for teaching excellence; internationally respected for research advances; a focused emphasis on interdisciplinary study and close student-faculty collaboration; committed to a diverse and inclusive environment.
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Optical and Nanoscopic Physics
Professor Bonin's research
interests include studying fundamental optical properties of nanoparticles
and in using nanoparticles to study important physical systems - specifically
nanomotors and biomolecular motors. Light forces and light torques have been
applied in unique ways to nanoscopic systems. We have successfully produced
a light-driven nanomotor that uses optical tweezers to trap glass nanorods.
Close to a surface, surface effects play a large role in the motion of such
motors. When moved away from a surface, the motion is nonlinear with interesting
behavior once the nanomotor is driven above a critical frequency determined
by the particle polarizability, the light intensity, and the viscosity of
the surrounding medium. Such a system could potentially probe the effects
of chaotic motion in a regime where viscosity is made negligible.
Current experiments involve attempts to control and manipulate smaller
nanoparticles. – This are developing techniques to optically manipulate
single nanoparticles to produce novel nanoelectronics or chemical sensors.
These investigations involve cw lasers and a research-class microscope in
conjunction with interesting nanostructures. Our optical tweezers nanomotor
setup currently consists of an AR+ ion laser coupled into an Olympus microscope.
Another area of interest is the use of light and novel techniques, such
as single-molecule detection, optical tweezers, and total-internal reflection
to investigate and understand the operation of biological motors. In collaboration
with biophysicists in the department and neurobiolgists at the Wake Forest
University School of Medicine, the detailed motion of molecular motors in
vivo is being studied. This research involves the use of a research-class
microscope and a advanced imaging and tracking system. |
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