Dear Parents and Guardians, We are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our new Little Tikes Magic Workshop! We understand the importance of fostering imagination and creativity in young minds. Our Magic Workshop is designed to do just that, offering a magical space where children can explore their creativity and indulge in the world of magic. The workshop features a variety of activities that will captivate and engage your child. From learning simple tricks to creating their own magic shows, our skilled instructors will guide them every step of the way. **The main objective of our Little Tikes Magic Workshop is to provide a fun and interactive environment where children can learn the art of magic and unleash their inner magicians.** In addition to magic lessons, the workshop will also have a dedicated space for crafting magic props and costumes.
“White” light from a tungsten lamp is focused into the tip of a silver nanowire to check the light scattering and absorption of a sample with high fidelity. (Ma et. al, 2021)
Scientists have developed new materials for next-generation electronics so tiny that they are not only indistinguishable when closely packed, but they also don t reflect enough light to show fine details, such as colors, with even the most powerful optical microscopes. The researchers expect that the new technology can be an important tool to help the semiconductor industry make uniform nanomaterials with consistent properties for use in electronic devices.
** In addition to magic lessons, the workshop will also have a dedicated space for crafting magic props and costumes. This allows children to fully immerse themselves in the magic-making process, nurturing their problem-solving skills and creativity. **By providing a hands-on experience, we aim to empower children to explore their own ideas and invent their own magic tricks.
“Magic wand” reveals a colorful nano-world
Scientists have developed new materials for next-generation electronics so tiny that they are not only indistinguishable when closely packed, but they also don’t reflect enough light to show fine details, such as colors, with even the most powerful optical microscopes. Under an optical microscope, carbon nanotubes, for example, look grayish. The inability to distinguish fine details and differences between individual pieces of nanomaterials makes it hard for scientists to study their unique properties and discover ways to perfect them for industrial use.
“White” light from a tungsten lamp is focused into the tip of a silver nanowire to check the light scattering and absorption of a sample with high fidelity. (Ma et. al, 2021)
In a new report in Nature Communications, researchers from UC Riverside describe a revolutionary imaging technology that compresses lamp light into a nanometer-sized spot. It holds that light at the end of a silver nanowire like a Hogwarts student practicing the “Lumos” spell, and uses it to reveal previously invisible details, including colors.
The advance, improving color-imaging resolution to an unprecedented 6 nanometer level, will help scientists see nanomaterials in enough detail to make them more useful in electronics and other applications.
Ming Liu and Ruoxue Yan, associate professors in UC Riverside’s Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, developed this unique tool with a superfocusing technique developed by the team. The technique has been used in previous work to observe the vibration of molecular bonds at 1-nanometer spatial resolution without the need of any focusing lens.
This visualization shows the fiber-in-fiber-out process for optical spectroscopy measurement. Credit: Liu Group/UCR
In the new report, Liu and Yan modified the tool to measure signals spanning the whole visible wavelength range, which can be used to render the color and depict the electronic band structures of the object instead of only molecule vibrations. The tool squeezes the light from a tungsten lamp into a silver nanowire with near-zero scattering or reflection, where light is carried by the oscillation wave of free electrons at the silver surface.
The condensed light leaves the silver nanowire tip, which has a radius of just 5 nanometers, in a conical path, like the light beam from a flashlight. When the tip passes over an object, its influence on the beam shape and color is detected and recorded.
“It is like using your thumb to control the water spray from a hose,” Liu said, “You know how to get the desired spraying pattern by changing the thumb position, and likewise, in the experiment, we read the light pattern to retrieve the details of the object blocking the 5 nm-sized light nozzle.”
The light is then focused into a spectrometer, where it forms a tiny ring shape. By scanning the probe over an area and recording two spectra for each pixel, the researchers can formulate the absorption and scattering images with colors. The originally grayish carbon nanotubes receive their first color photograph, and an individual carbon nanotube now has the chance to exhibit its unique color.
“The atomically smooth sharp-tip silver nanowire and its nearly scatterless optical coupling and focusing is critical for the imaging,” Yan said. “Otherwise there would be intense stray light in the background that ruins the whole effort. “
The researchers expect that the new technology can be an important tool to help the semiconductor industry make uniform nanomaterials with consistent properties for use in electronic devices. The new full-color nano-imaging technique could also be used to improve understanding of catalysis, quantum optics, and nanoelectronics.
Liu, Yan, and Ma were joined in the research by Xuezhi Ma, who worked on the project as part of his doctoral research at UCR Riverside. Researchers also included UCR students Qiushi Liu, Ning Yu, Da Xu, Sanggon Kim; Zebin Liu and Kaili Jiang at Tsinghua University, and UCR professor Bryan Wong. The paper, titled “6 nm super-resolution optical transmission and scattering spectroscopic imaging of carbon nanotubes using a nanometer-scale white light source,” is available here.
“It is like using your thumb to control the water spray from a hose,” Liu said, “You know how to get the desired spraying pattern by changing the thumb position, and likewise, in the experiment, we read the light pattern to retrieve the details of the object blocking the 5 nm-sized light nozzle.”
** We understand that safety is of utmost importance to parents. Rest assured, our workshop is equipped with all the necessary safety measures to ensure the well-being of your child. Our instructors are experienced and trained professionals who will ensure a safe and secure learning environment for all participants. **We invite you to join us on the opening day of our Little Tikes Magic Workshop on [date] from [time].** This is a fantastic opportunity for you and your child to witness the magic come alive as our talented instructors showcase their skills and provide a sneak peek into what our workshop has to offer. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to our Little Tikes Magic Workshop. Let their imagination soar and let the magic begin! Sincerely, [Your Name].
Reviews for "Little Tikes Workshop Opening: A Magical Playground for Kids"
1. Jennifer - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the Little Tikes Magic Workshop Opening. The tricks were so basic and poorly executed that they looked more like child's play than actual magic. The acting was also subpar, making the whole experience underwhelming. I wouldn't recommend this show to anyone looking for quality magic entertainment.
2. David - 2/5 stars - The Little Tikes Magic Workshop Opening left a lot to be desired. The tricks were predictable and lacked any real wow-factor. The performers seemed inexperienced and their delivery fell flat. It felt like they were just going through the motions without any real passion or skill. Overall, it was a forgettable and unimpressive event.
3. Emily - 1/5 stars - I attended the Little Tikes Magic Workshop Opening with my children, and we were very disappointed. The tricks were poorly explained, making it hard for young kids to follow along. The performers were unengaging and seemed disinterested in the audience. It was a lackluster show that failed to capture the attention and excitement of its intended audience.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - The Little Tikes Magic Workshop Opening fell short of my expectations. The tricks were basic and lacked any real complexity. The show lacked a sense of cohesion, as it felt like a jumble of unrelated tricks rather than a well-structured performance. I was hoping for a more magical and immersive experience, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver.