Abstract. Laser trapping and interfacing of laser-cooled atoms in an optical fiber network is an important capability for quantum information science. Following the pioneering work of Balykin et al. and Vetsch et al., we propose a robust method of trapping single Cesium atoms with a two-color state-insensitive evanescent wave around a dielectric nanofiber. Specifically, we show that vector light shifts (i.e., effective inhomogeneous Zeeman broadening of the ground states) induced by the inherent ellipticity of the forward-propagating evanescent wave can be effectively canceled by a backward-propagating evanescent wave. Furthermore, by operating the trapping lasers at the magic wavelengths, we remove the differential scalar light shift between ground and excited states, thereby allowing for resonant driving of the optical D 2 transition. This scheme provides a promising approach to trap and probe neutral atoms with long trap and coherence lifetimes with realistic experimental parameters. † These authors contributed equally to this work.

Although it is well known that the amazing iridescent colors of the cuticle of beetles reflect the intricate nanoscale organization of bio‐fibers, artificial inorganic materials with comparable optical responses have not yet been synthesized from abiotic nanoscale building blocks. Such materials could find broad applications, including in circular polarizers, to generate circularly polarized luminescence, or in lasers. Herein, we describe a general method for the fabrication of biomimetic chiral photonic crystals by Langmuir–Schaefer assembly of colloidal inorganic nanowires. We not only reproduced the intricate helical structure and circularly polarized color reflection observed in beetles, but also achieved the highest chiroptical activity with a dissymmetry factor of −1.6 ever reported for chiral inorganic nanostructures. More importantly, the programmable structural control based on the precise interlayer arrangement endows us with unprecedented freedom to manipulate the optical activity of as‐fabricated chiral photonic crystals.

Over the decades, widespread advances have been achieved on nanochannels, including nanochannel-based DNA sequencing, single-molecule detection, smart sensors, and energy transfer and storage. However, most interest has been focused on the contribution from the functional elements (FEs) at the inner wall (IW) of nanochannels, whereas little attention has been paid to the contribution from the FEs at the nanochannels’ outer surface (OS). Herein, we achieve explicit partition of FEOS and FEIW based on accurate regional-modification of OS and IW. The FEIW are served for ionic gating, and the chosen FEOS (hydrophobic or charged) are served for blocking interference molecules into the nanochannels, decreasing the false signals for the ionic gating in complex environments. Furthermore, we define a composite factor, areas of a radar map, to evaluate the FEOS performance for blocking interference molecules.

Laser trapping and interfacing of laser-cooled atoms in an optical fiber network is an important tool for quantum information science. Following the pioneering work of Balykin et al (2004 Phys. Rev. A 70 011401) and Vetsch et al (2010 Phys. Rev. Lett. 104 203603), we propose a robust method for trapping single cesium atoms with a two-color state-insensitive evanescent wave around a dielectric nanofiber. Specifically, we show that vector light shifts (i.e. effective inhomogeneous Zeeman broadening of the ground states) induced by the inherent ellipticity of the forward-propagating evanescent wave can be effectively canceled by a backward-propagating evanescent wave. Furthermore, by operating the trapping lasers at the magic wavelengths, we remove the differential scalar light shift between ground and excited states, thereby allowing for resonant driving of the optical D 2 transition. This scheme provides a promising approach to trap and probe neutral atoms with long trap and coherence lifetimes with realistic experimental parameters.

Solid‐state ion nanochannels/nanopores, the biomimetic products of biological ion channels, are promising materials in real‐world applications due to their robust mechanical and controllable chemical properties. Functionalizations of solid‐state ion nanochannels/nanopores by biomolecules pave a wide way for the introduction of varied properties from biomolecules to solid‐state ion nanochannels/nanopores, making them smart in response to analytes or external stimuli and regulating the transport of ions/molecules. In this review, two features for nanochannels/nanopores functionalized by biomolecules are abstracted, i.e., specificity and signal amplification. Both of the two features are demonstrated from three kinds of nanochannels/nanopores: nucleic acid–functionalized nanochannels/nanopores, protein‐functionalized nanochannels/nanopores, and small biomolecule‐functionalized nanochannels/nanopores, respectively. Meanwhile, the fundamental mechanisms of these combinations between biomolecules and nanochannels/nanopores are explored, providing reasonable constructs for applications in sensing, transport, and energy conversion. And then, the techniques of functionalizations and the basic principle about biomolecules onto the solid‐state ion nanochannels/nanopores are summarized. Finally, some views about the future developments of the biomolecule‐functionalized nanochannels/nanopores are proposed.