Scientists map light behaviour in nature-inspired materials

Scientists are said to have broken the limit of light resolution at the nanoscale and delivered a fundamental insight into how light and matter interact, which could lead to the development of enhanced biosensors for healthcare and more efficient solar cells and displays.

According to a statement, optical measurements of light waves at the nanoscale have always been limited by the resolution of the optical microscope, but researchers were able to break this limit using a new technique that combines electronic excitation with optical detection to explore the inside of a photonic crystal and study the confinement of light.

Working with a spatial resolution of 30nm, scientists examined the structures at a resolution more than 10 times smaller than the diffraction limit for light, revealing a greater understanding of how light interacts with matter to create, for example, the visible iridescence phenomena observed in nature on the wings of butterflies.

Dr Riccardo Sapienza, from the Department of Physics at King’s College London, said: ‘This is very important as it allows scientists to test optical theories to a new level of accuracy, fully characterise new optical materials and test new optical devices.’