Sound-induced electric fields control the tiniest particles: Acoustoelectronic tweezers gently manipulate biological nanoparticles just a few nanometers wide

Engineers have devised a system for manipulating particles approaching the miniscule 2.5 nanometer diameter of DNA using sound-induced electric fields. Dubbed 'acoustoelectronic nanotweezers,' the approach provides a label-free, dynamically controllable method of moving and trapping nanoparticles over a large area. The technology holds promise for applications in the fields ranging from condensed matter physics to biomedicine.