Quantitative mapping of smooth topographic landscapes generated using thermal scanning-probe lithography.

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is a powerful technique for mapping nanoscale surface properties through tip-sample interactions. Thermal scanning-probe lithography (tSPL) is an advanced SPM variant that uses a silicon tip on a heated cantilever to sculpt and measure the topography of polymer films with nanometer precision. The surfaces produced by tSPL-smooth topographic landscapes-allow mathematically defined contours to be fabricated on the nanoscale, enabling sophisticated functionalities for photonic, electronic, chemical and biological technologies.

Fourier-Tailored Light-Matter Coupling in van der Waals Heterostructures.

Dielectric structures can support low-absorption optical modes, which are attractive for engineering light-matter interactions with excitonic resonances in two-dimensional (2D) materials. However, the coupling strength is often limited by the electromagnetic field being confined inside the dielectric, reducing the spatial overlap with the active excitonic material. Here, we demonstrate a scheme for enhanced light-matter coupling by embedding excitonic tungsten disulfide (WS) within dielectric hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), forming a van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure that optimizes the field overlap and alignment between excitons and optical waveguide modes.