"Revolutionary Waveguiding Scheme Achieves Unprecedented Subnanometer Optical Field Confinement"

Researchers from Zhejiang University have developed a waveguiding scheme that enables the confinement of light to subnanometer scales, bringing us closer to the dream of shrinking light down to the size of a water molecule. This novel approach utilizes a coupled-nanowire-pair (CNP) to generate a confined optical field as tiny as 0.3 nm with high efficiency and a high peak-to-background ratio. The scheme extends into the mid-infrared spectral range, offering even more opportunities for exploration and discovery. The potential applications of this breakthrough include advancements in light-matter interactions, super-resolution nanoscopy, atom/molecule manipulation, and ultrasensitive detection.