[摘要]:The resolution of optical patterning is constrained by the far-field diffraction limit. In this letter, we describe an approach that exploits the unique photo- and electro-chemistry of diarylethene photochromic molecules to overcome this diffraction limit and achieve sub-wavelength nanopatterning. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4710547]