Abstract: An optical system for narrowing the bandwidth of a beam of incident radiation includes an optical mixing unit configured to receive a first beam of radiation and a second beam of radiation. The first and second beams are spatially chirped and the first beam is inverted relative to the second beam. The optical mixing unit includes an optical mixing member, which includes a nonlinear optical medium to mix the first and second beams into an output beam having a narrower bandwidth than the beam of incident radiation.

Abstract: This present invention provides methods for the detection of small molecules in samples comprising the steps a) coupling a nanoparticle (NP) or microparticle (MP) to an aptamer specific for the small molecule to be detected to form a NP-aptamer conjugate b) contacting the NP-aptamer conjugate with the sample; and c) detecting a change in the size, surface potential, or mobility of the NP-aptamer conjugate, wherein the change is indicative of the presence of the small molecule. The present invention also provides for and a biosensor comprising nanoparticles coupled to aptamers to provide nanoparticle aptamer-conjugates (NP-aptamer).

Abstract: This present invention provides methods for the detection of small molecules in samples comprising the steps a) coupling a nanoparticle (NP) or microparticle (MP) to an aptamer specific for the small molecule to be detected to form a NP-aptamer conjugate b) contacting the NP-aptamer conjugate with the sample; and c) detecting a change in the size, surface potential, or mobility of the NP-aptamer conjugate, wherein the change is indicative of the presence of the small molecule. The present invention also provides for and a biosensor comprising nanoparticles coupled to aptamers to provide nanoparticle aptamer-conjugates (NP-aptamer).