A nanoshell is a 100 nanometer spherical shell of metal (often gold) surrounding a core of silicon dioxide atoms. Although nanoshells have been known for some time ^* it is Naomi Halas, a professor at Rice University, who is now making use of nanoshells. Nanoshells have special optical properties with various promising applications; these applications are primarily being investigated at Rice University. Nanoshells are currently being investigated as:

• a treatment for cancer similar to chemotherapy but without the toxic side-effects ^*
• inexpensive, quick analysis of "samples as small as a single molecule" and builds on Raman spectroscopy ^*

Nanoshells featured in the fictional Alex Rider book Scorpia, where they were filled with cyanide to kill thousands.

Nanoshells have been around before Halas started to do work on the subject. See for example: H. S. Zhou, I. Honma, H. Komiyama, J. W. Haus, Phys. Rev. B, 50, 12 052, 1994

See also

• nanotechnology

External links

• [http://nanotech-now.com/2003-Awards/Best-Discoveries-2003.htm Best nanotechnology discoveries of 2003
• [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/01/030110185639.htm Nanoshell Sensor Opens Door For New Methods To Examine Single Molecules
• [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/03-ask.html PBS NOVA Q&A interview with Halas on nanoshells
• ^* H. S. Zhou, I. Honma, H. Komiyama, J. W. Haus, Phys. Rev. B, 50, 12 052, 1994