Scientists believe they can now build a real-life tractor beam

Tractor beams are one of the most iconic pieces of science-fiction technology, most likely popularized through movies and TV shows such as Star Wars, Star Trek, and anything to do with advanced alien lifeforms operating UFOs.

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While those pop-culture depictions of tractor beams are certainly very far away, researchers may be able to create a small tractor beam that would be used for health benefits. A team of researchers penned a new study in the scientific journal ACS Photonics, which details the creation of a tractor beam that's specifically designed to target cells that could lead to health complications. The invention would reduce the invasive nature of removing tissue through physical slicing, and thus, the chance of infection and further health complications.

The team used three strands of light that were twisted together like a Raspberry Twister, but the light formed together into a small tunnel or tube. These three forms of light are created by passing normal light through a surface that has an extremely thin nanopatterned silicon placed over a small plane of glass. The result is a triple helix solenoid beam that works like a tractor beam, except it's extremely thin.

"The compact size and high efficiency of this device could lead to innovative applications in the future. The ability to pull particles using a metasurface might have the potential to impact the field of biopsy by potentially reducing pain through less invasive methods. We are excited to investigate the performance of our device in particle manipulation, which could offer valuable insights," said lead researcher Maryam Setareh

How does it work? The beam draws up particles by each of the strands of light cradling it. The application of this technology would reduce the risks associated with invasive biopsies.

"The next stage of this research will be to experimentally demonstrate the beam's ability to pull particles, and we'll be excited to share those results when they're available. This work opens new possibilities for using light to exert forces on tiny objects," said Chief Investigator Ken Crozier