@article{07fc6f3c965e4978822746925fba0537,
title = "Single-molecule optomechanics in {"}picocavities{"}",
abstract = "Trapping light with noble metal nanostructures overcomes the diffraction limit and can confine light to volumes typically on the order of 30 cubic nanometers. We found that individual atomic features inside the gap of a plasmonic nanoassembly can localize light to volumes well below 1 cubic nanometer ({"}picocavities{"}), enabling optical experiments on the atomic scale. These atomic features are dynamically formed and disassembled by laser irradiation. Although unstable at room temperature, picocavities can be stabilized at cryogenic temperatures, allowing single atomic cavities to be probed for many minutes. Unlike traditional optomechanical resonators, such extreme optical confinement yields a factor of 106 enhancement of optomechanical coupling between the picocavity field and vibrations of individual molecular bonds. This work sets the basis for developing nanoscale nonlinear quantum optics on the single-molecule level.",
author = "Felix Benz and Schmidt, {Mikolaj K.} and Alexander Dreismann and Rohit Chikkaraddy and Yao Zhang and Angela Demetriadou and Cloudy Carnegie and Hamid Ohadi and {De Nijs}, Bart and Ruben Esteban and Javier Aizpurua and Baumberg, {Jeremy J.}",
note = "Supported by Project FIS2013-41184-P from MINECO (Ministerio de Econom{\'i}a y Competitividad) and IT756-13 from the Basque government consolidated groups (M.K.S., Y.Z., A. Demetriadou, R.E., and J.A.); the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability (F.B.); the Dr. Manmohan Singh scholarship from St. John{\textquoteright}s College (R.C.); the UK National Physical Laboratory (C.C.); the Fellows Gipuzkoa Program of the Gipuzkoako Foru Aldundia via FEDER funds of the European Union “Una manera de hacer Europa” (R.E.); UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grants EP/G060649/1 and EP/L027151/1; and European Research Council grant LINASS 320503.",
year = "2016",
month = nov,
day = "11",
doi = "10.1126/science.aah5243",
language = "English",
volume = "354",
pages = "726--729",
journal = "Science",
issn = "0036-8075",
publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",
number = "6313",
}