Remote optical addressing of single nano-objects
  We present a scheme for remotely addressing single nano-objects by means of near-field optical microscopy that makes only use of one of the most fundamental properties of electromagnetic radiation: its polarization. A medium containing optically active nano-objects is covered with a thin metallic film presenting sub-wavelength holes. When the optical tip is positioned some distance away from a hole, surface plasmons in the metal coating are generated which, by turning the polarization plane of the excitation light, transfer the excitation towards a chosen hole and induce emission from the underlying nano-objects. The method, easily applicable to other systems, is demonstrated for single quantum dots (QDs) at low temperature. It may become a valuable tool for future optical applications in the nanoworld. 
M. Brun, A. Drezet, H. Mariette, J.C. Woehl, S. Huant