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Nature 448, 141-142 (12 July 2007) | doi:10.1038/448141a; Published online 11 July 2007

Photonics: Light in chains

Niek F. van Hulst1

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Diffraction places a fundamental limit on the smallest scales at which light can be controlled. A nanoscale silver array not only circumvents the barrier, but steers different-coloured light to different places.

Is it possible to control the concentration of light energy on the nanometre scale? This 'nanofocusing challenge' has implications for a whole host of areas, including small-scale sensing and lasing techniques, high-resolution optical imaging, super-compact photonic circuitry and ultra-sensitive biochemical analysis.

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