Terahertz imaging maps spatial chirality in materials with 100-micrometer resolution

In nature, there exist structures that are mirror images of each other but cannot be perfectly superimposed.

These are known as chiral objects, derived from the Greek word for "hand," since left and right hands share the same relationship.

Although similar in structure, chiral molecules exhibit different behaviors, and chirality is central to life itself.

DNA has a twisted chiral structure, and living organisms prefer one handedness over the other.

This distinction is equally important in drug design, materials science, and nanotechnology. ...