_{RTG 2905 Colloquium}

Single-molecule optics with atomic precision

Luminescence, photosynthesis, and energy harvesting rely on processes originating at the spatial scale of individual molecules. Investigating the details of these mechanisms requires reaching sub-nm precision in optics, which becomes possible by combining optical spectroscopy with scanning probe microscopy. In my talk, I will discuss how atomic-scale optics can be used to study the optical properties of single molecules and to drive photochemistry with sub-nm precision.