Extreme Light-matter interaction

The unprecedented ability of nanostructures to concentrate light into extreme dimensions is promising to develop new applications for enhanced light-matter interaction. In general, it is a grand challenge to manipulate light within extreme dimensions along both vertical and lateral dimensions. Along the vertical direction, there is a long-existing trade-off between optical absorption and thickness of active materials in most thin-film energy harvesting/conversion applications. Particularly, research on two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals and Van der Waals heterostructures receives intense efforts, which is promising for the development of new functional electronic and optoelectronic energy efficient devices with the ultimately thin dimension along the vertical direction. However, due to their atomically thin nature, the optical absorption is inherently weak. On the other hand, along the lateral direction, it is also a grand challenge to break the classic diffraction limit, which was a long term target in many important areas including nanoscopic imaging, lithography, etc. In this talk, I will present an overview of several potential strategies to overcome these two grand challenges using new light-matter interaction strategies within extreme dimensions. We will aim to boost the weak light matter interaction along vertical and lateral dimensions and pave the way towards new applications.