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Researchers have developed a breakthrough technology that uses light to visualize nanoscale glass microcapillary tips, enabling precise and delicate contact with other objects.

A "microcapillary" is a precision tool with a very small aperture (0.1 mm to 0.000010 mm in diameter) fabricated from a glass tube. It is utilized as a vital tool in various fields, from biotechnology to manipulating cells, to micro-electroplating and nano-3D printing.

Specifically, it is used in biotechnology for tasks such as injecting sperm into an egg during in vitro fertilization (IVF) or as a tool for penetrating cell membranes to study cellular mechanisms. In electroplating, it allows metal plating within extremely small areas, which is useful for manufacturing precision electronic circuits or microstructures. It can also be used as a 3D printing nozzle to print ultra-fine structures in three dimensions.

A primary concern in utilizing microcapillaries is to ensure delicate and precise contact at the sharp tip so that the glass microcapillary does not break or the target object is not damaged. In the past, contact was determined by observing with an optical microscope, but for nanoscale ultra-fine microcapillaries, contact could not be determined due to the diffraction-limited resolution.

Although other methods, such as monitoring electrical current or mechanical vibrations have been employed, their versatility is constrained by material specificity (limited to conductive materials) or by interference that can potentially influence the results.

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