The perfect lens?

Conventional optics cannot focus in on areas smaller than a wavelength of light, which at first seems to make total sense since light is, after all, what is refracted by a lens. However, researchers at Purdue University (boo, hiss) are close to developing a workable "negative refractive index" using nanotechnology--a flat lens of sorts which would seemingly allow them to break the laws of physics, and peer in on electron effects at a level smaller than a wavelength of light.

A transmission medium with a negative index of refractions would enable a flat planar lens to focus light to precisions that are smaller than the wavelength of the light itself. With tunable versions of such photonic materials now being rushed into prototypes by labs worldwide, it is conceivable that not only could a "perfect" lens be created but that known electron effects could be translated into photonic operations to create sensors that could detect a single molecule.

Not only would such a development allow scientists to peer even deeper into the atomic world, but the ability to manipulate the pathways of photons at such a minute level could open up the doors to incredibly powerful optical data channeling. Additionally, Semiconductor fabrication could see massive leaps in process technology. If this technology could be adapted to photo-lithography, current ultraviolet wavelength limitations would be smashed, enabling far greater precision at much smaller etch sizes. Thanks to Ed for the heads up, and thanks to Minard for the insight into process ramifications.

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