Spider silk-derived microscope superlens shows imaging potential

Researchers have developed a new approach to producing microscope superlens technology with the use of spider silk.

A team from Bangor University's School of Electronic Engineering have used dragline silk from the golden web spider – a naturally occurring substance – as an additional superlens to be applied to the surface of the material to be viewed.

This provides an additional two or three factors of magnification, making it possible to extend the limit of classical microscopy resolutions, with the physical laws of light making it impossible to view objects smaller than 200 nanometres using a normal microscope alone.

As such, it could soon be possible to view previously invisible details of engineered nanostructures and biological microstructures, as well as native germs and viruses.

Study leader Dr Zengbo Wang said: "A spider silk nanoscope would be robust and economical, which in turn could provide excellent manufacturing platforms for a wide range of applications."

This comes after the same Bangor University team recently used a nanobead-derived superlens to break the same resolution barrier.

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