Nano-optics

• Theoretical foundations of nano-optics 
• Propagation and focusing of optical fields 
• Image formation in near-field optical microscopy 
• Experimental techniques in near-field optical microscopy 
• Light emission in nanoscale environments 
• Weak and strong coupling regimes of light emission 
• Dipole emission near planar interfaces 
• Principles of photonic crystals 
• Surface plasmon polaritons at metal/insulator interfaces 
• Excitation of surface plasmon polaritons at planar interfaces; 
• Imaging surface plasmon polariton propagation 
• Plasmonic waveguides and sub-diffraction field confinement 
• Localized surface plasmons and field enhancement effects. 

• Green’s function formalism for description of scattering by nanostructures. 
• Angular spectrum decomposition of optical fields: far and near-field contributions. 
• Propagation and focusing of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation. 
• Theoretical foundations of near-field microscopy. 
• Experimental configurations employed inn near-field microscopy. 
• Spontaneous emission by quantum sources in resonant environments. 
• Light propagation in periodic media, including photonic crystals. 
• Surface plasmon polaritons modes at metal/insulator interfaces. 
• Excitation of surface plasmon polaritons at planar interfaces. 
• Imaging of surface plasmon polaritons. 
• Plasmon-based waveguide configurations. 
• Localized surface plasmon excitations and environmental sensing. 

• Conduct angular spectrum decomposition of optical fields, specifically those radiated by electrical dipoles. 
• Describe propagation and focusing of optical fields in an optical system. 
• Determine the spatial resolution and position accuracy in far and near-field microscopy. 
• Describe light emission and interaction in nanoscale environments and determining emission channels for dipole emitters near planar interfaces. 
• Derive the band-gap condition for one-dimensional photonic crystals. 
• Calculate main characteristics (effective index and propagation length) of surface plasmon polaritons modes supported by planar metal/insulator interfaces. 
• Determine conditions for efficient excitation of surface plasmon polaritons. 
• Determine main characteristics (effective index and propagation length) of plasmonic waveguides with two-dimensional mode confinement. 
• Calculate the local field enhancement and the associated Raman scattering enhancement in the vicinity of spherical nanoparticles. 

The student must be able to:

• Formulate the scattering problem describing electromagnetic field interaction with nanostructured objects, including formulation of boundary conditions, that can be adapted for computer simulations. 
• Design and implement near-field microscopy configuration suitable for spatial characterization of nanostructured optical fields formed by a given nanostructure, including near-field mapping of surface plasmon polariton fields. 
• Conduct optical experiments with surface plasmon polaritons involving setting up angular-resolved excitation of surface plasmon polaritons in the configuration suitable for observation of attenuated total internal reflection. 
• Design plasmon-based waveguide configurations supporting gap surface plasmons and cylindrical surface plasmons that would ensure the mode propagation over specific distances for a given wavelength of electromagnetic radiation.