AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 18, 2006 -- In a development that could enhance near-field microscopy, a 'superlens' made of a thin film of silicon carbide sandwiched between two layers of silicon oxide has enabled the first direct near-field optical images. Integrating a superlens into a scanning optical microscope, researchers said, could be useful in industrial applications and in the imaging of biological objects in their natural environment. A microscope used to scan nanostructures can be dramatically enhanced by using a superlens, reports an international team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Biochemistry...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaARTICLESA History of the Laser: 1960 - 2019In 2020, the laser will celebrate its 60th anniversary. 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