Magnetized plasmas that twist light can produce powerful microscopes and more

To get the extremely high-resolution images vital to study new materials, microbes, and more, scientists often build microscopes based on optical vortices. Forming these tiny tornadoes of light is done using quartz or liquid crystals. However, using conventional materials for microscopes has its limits. As the power of the optical vortex increases, the material literally burns up and is destroyed. To produce the optical vortices, researchers needed a better approach. They devised a way to make o...