Urbana-Champaign, Ill. Jan. 21, 2010 - In the battle against bacteria, researchers at the University of Illinois are using visible light to destroy harmful bacteria and viruses, even in the dark. Based upon a new catalyst, the disinfection process can be used to purify drinking water, sanitize surgical instruments and remove unwanted fingerprints from delicate electrical and optical components. "The new catalyst also has a unique catalytic memory effect that continues to kill deadly pathogens for up to 24 hours after the light is turned off," said Jian Ku Shang, a professor of materials science and engineering at the...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaARTICLESCommemorating 30 Years of Optical VorticesThirty years ago, Pierre Coullet et al. proposed that a special optical field exists in laser cavities bearing some similarity with the superfluid vortex. 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