Takahashi Hozumi, Yoshikawa Hiroshi Y, Sugiyama Teruki
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Department of Applied Chemistry and Center for Emergent Functional Matter Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Commun Chem. 2025 May 16;8(1):156. doi: 10.1038/s42004-025-01554-7.
The selective manipulation of crystal polymorphs holds profound implications across diverse scientific and industrial fields, as distinct polymorphs exhibit unique physical and chemical properties. This study demonstrates selective polymorphic manipulation by laser trapping - a technique enabling contactless manipulation and condensation of matter at the nanometer-scale and micrometer-scale. L-cysteine, a ubiquitous amino acid employed in pharmaceuticals and food additives, was targeted. We reveal that continuous-wave laser irradiation yields single crystals of the metastable polymorph, whereas continued irradiation with high-repetition-rate femtosecond laser pulses induces poly-crystallization of the stable form. Crucially, by strategically alternating between these two laser modalities during crystal growth, we can open up new crystallization pathways, including the single crystal growth of the stable phase. These findings underscore the significant potential of focused laser beams for precision polymorphic engineering, paving the way for the development of advanced materials with tailored properties.
晶体多晶型物的选择性操控在不同的科学和工业领域具有深远意义，因为不同的多晶型物展现出独特的物理和化学性质。本研究展示了通过激光捕获进行的选择性多晶型操控——这是一种能够在纳米尺度和微米尺度实现物质非接触操控和凝聚的技术。研究以L-半胱氨酸为目标，它是一种广泛应用于药品和食品添加剂中的氨基酸。我们发现，连续波激光辐照可产生亚稳多晶型的单晶，而高重复率飞秒激光脉冲的持续辐照则会诱导稳定晶型的多晶化。至关重要的是，通过在晶体生长过程中有策略地在这两种激光模式之间交替，我们能够开辟新的结晶途径，包括稳定相的单晶生长。这些发现凸显了聚焦激光束在精确多晶型工程方面的巨大潜力，为开发具有定制特性的先进材料铺平了道路。
