A team of laser physicists from the Australia National University discovered a methodology to gather precise measurements on microscopic objects. The scientists report that the atomic-force microscope probe is 20 times more sensitive and is able to detect forces as small as the weight of a single virus.

The technique, developed by researchers in the Quantum Optics Group of the Research School of Physics and Engineering, hinges on using laser beams to cool a nanowire probe to minus 265 degrees Celsius.

“The level of sensitivity achieved after cooling is accurate enough for us to sense the weight of a large virus that is 100 billion times lighter than a mosquito,” said Professor Ping Koy Lam, the leader of the Quantum Optics Group, in a statement.

The development could be used to improve the resolution of atomic-force microscopes, which are the state-of-the-art tool for measuring infinitesimally small structures and the minute forces interacting between molecules. As nanotechnology continues to be explored, such instruments may prove vital to the continued development and understanding of the budding applied science.

In the paper, published in the journal Nature Communications, the scientists propose that the newfound high precision technology can be applied to a variety of scientific fields and instruments, like biosensors, molecular measurements, subsurface imaging and accelerometry.

A refined version of the technology could be used as an analytic device to pick up imperceptible movements and stresses within the body. Benefits from micro-observations could lead to medical insights about the human body, or used by doctors to measure vital signals during a routine checkup.

Likewise, an extremely sensitive instrument could prove useful when inserted into accelerometers, a crucial guidance and navigation system used in missile, aircraft, and space flight; precision measurements would translate to a more precise guidance system.

The ability to determine minute forces could also be helpful in the mapping of the subsurface structure and geology of Earth. Utilized by oil, gas, and geothermal energy companies, subsurface imaging can determine the proper places to drill and erect infrastructure. Leveraging this technology would help companies drill in the geologically safest spots available, and save companies from the guessing game of collecting and analyzing core samples from randomly selected areas.