Researchers have now managed to pinpoint what happens when light is absorbed by extremely small nanoclusters of silver atoms. The results may have useful application in the development of biosensors and in imaging.
By combining chemistry and nanotechnology, the research community in recent years has developed a kind of extremely small nanoclusters consisting of only a few noble metal atoms bound to a DNA fragment. Such complexes are of major interest on account of their optical properties. They are considered to have great potential, for example, in the imaging applications and development of biosensors. The fluorescent tags and biosensors made of these silver nanoclusters can be used in a number of different areas, from medical diagnostics and the pharmaceutical industry.