Perspective on future applications with lights concentrated in zero-nanometer gaps

Abstract

Nanogap metallic structures is a useful platform for efficient manipulation of the light-matter interaction in extreme subwavelength scale. With the recent advances in fabrication technology, zero-nanometer scale (angstrom) gaps are now available with unprecedented control capability in gap widths, and with scalability in area and uniformity. In this paper, we provide perspectives on potential novel applications of zero-nanometer gaps. By reviewing the current research trends in two-dimensional material based optoelectronics, and novel lithography techniques, we explore the opportunities given to the zero-nanometer gap structures. Optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional materials will have facile tuning capabilities in carrier excitation efficiency and working wavelengths when the zero-nanometer gaps are incorporated in the devices. In photolithography, patterning resolution can be reduced down to sub-nanometer. We anticipate that the perspectives described in the paper motivate the further researches in zero-nanometer gap applications opening the era of Gaptronics.