  We propose to use sub-wavelength confinement of light associated with the
near field of plasmonic systems to create nanoscale optical lattices for
ultracold atoms. Our approach combines the unique coherence properties of
isolated atoms with the sub-wavelength manipulation and strong light-matter
interaction associated with nano-plasmonic systems. It allows one to
considerably increase the energy scales in the realization of Hubbard models
and to engineer effective long-range interactions in coherent and dissipative
many-body dynamics. Realistic imperfections and potential applications are
discussed.
