Tongji review maps new ways to sort and detect chiral particles

Tongji University researchers published a review of optical, nanophotonic and AI methods that could make chiral particle sorting and detection more sensitive and practical. The paper, published in Opto-Electronic Advances, says these tools may help chemistry, biomedicine and materials science overcome longstanding limits in conventional chiral analysis. Why it matters: - Chiral analysis affects pharmaceuticals, clinical diagnostics, food safety and materials science. - Better optical methods could enable non-contact, non-destructive testing with less sample use and faster results. - The review says improved sensitivity and selectivity are still needed because chiral signals are often weak. What happened: - Researchers from Tongji University published a review titled “Emerging optical techniques for sorting and detection of chiral particles.” - The paper was led by Prof. Zhanshan Wang and Prof. Xinbin Cheng from the School of Physical Science and Engineering and Shanghai Eye Diseases Prevention & Treatment Center. - The study was available online March 23, 2026 and appeared in volume 9, issue 6 of Opto-Electronic Advances on June 7, 2026. - The paper includes the DOI: 10.29026/oea.2026.250255 . The details: - Chirality refers to structures that are mirror images of each other but not superimposable. - Chiral enantiomers can share the same chemical composition while producing very different biological and pharmacological effects. - Conventional chiral analysis often depends on chemical derivatization, biochemical reactions or chromatography. - Those methods are established, but they can require complex procedures, large sample volumes and limited real-time operation. - Optical approaches use light–matter interactions and avoid direct contact with the sample. - The review says weak coupling at electric and magnetic dipole levels keeps chiral optical signals small. - The review divides the field into two main areas: optical sorting and optical detection. - For sorting, the paper reviews optical radiation pressure, gradient forces, lateral forces and pulling forces. - Structured light fields and vector beams can enhance and tune chiral optical forces. - The review also covers near-field optical forces enabled by bound states in the continuum and exceptional points. - Metasurfaces and photonic crystals are highlighted as nanophotonic platforms for more efficient and stable chiral sorting. - For detection, the paper tracks progress from far-field to near-field methods. - Interference and standing-wave fields, plasmonic structures, optical microcavities and metasurfaces can strengthen light–chiral matter interactions. - Metasurfaces and other micro- and nano-optical elements can balance low optical loss with stronger optical chirality-field enhancement. - The review says artificial intelligence and machine learning are emerging tools for high-throughput identification of multiple chiral components in complex samples. - The paper compares optical platforms by molecular scale, detection sensitivity and experimental complexity. Between the lines: - The review frames optical chirality as a field moving from proof-of-concept physics toward practical instrumentation. - Nanophotonics appears to be the main route for improving field control, while AI may help with interpretation and throughput. - The biggest technical barriers remain fabrication cost, system stability and limited throughput. - The paper suggests progress will depend on combining nanophotonics, microfluidics and AI rather than relying on one method alone. What’s next: - The review expects continued integration of nanophotonics, microfluidics and artificial intelligence to improve optical chiral technologies. - Future work will likely focus on stronger chiral forces, better detection sensitivity and more practical system designs. - The authors say these advances could open new applications in chemistry, biomedicine and materials science. The bottom line: - Tongji University’s review argues that optical sorting and detection of chiral particles are moving closer to practical use, but engineering and throughput challenges still need to be solved.