Single molecules and single nanoparticles as windows to the nanoscale

Single-Molecule Optics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, University Leiden – Niels Bohrweg 2, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands

Abstract

Since the first optical detection of single molecules, they have been used as nanometersized optical sensors to explore the physical properties of materials and light-matter interaction at the nanoscale. Understanding nanoscale properties of materials is fundamental for the development of new technology that requires precise control of atoms and molecules when the quantum nature of matter cannot be ignored. In the following lines, we illustrate this journey into nanoscience with some experiments from our group.