nano optics

Nanotechnology is a new approach to understand and master the properties of matter at the nano-scale. It is believed to be a major factor of innovation in science and economy of this century. Within this strongly interdisciplinary development nano optics provides the key to many solutions in such fields as nano electronics and nano biology.

Recent advances in fabrication technology have allowed for the realization of optical structures with sub-wavelength and therefore sub-micron dimensions. These can be either tiny photonic components as e.g. waveguide bends, apertures and micro discs or periodic structures as e.g. diffraction gratings, photonic fibers or crystals. In any case the vectorial nature of the electro-magnetic field as well as scattering and reflection into almost every spatial direction influence the optical response of the structure considerably.

In close collaboration between theorists and experimentalists, fundamental effects of nano optics are examined in the ultra optics centre. Relevant, producible nanostructures are designed, modelled and characterized with the aim of realizing and using optical systems with new functionality.

Nano optics is a rapidly developing area that deals with the propagation a localisation of light in structures that are far below the scale of the wavelength. The spread and localization of light on such small length scales is both of great practical importance (maximum-resolution inspection and modification of materials, high field concentration and thus intensity elevation to increase the efficiency of nonlinear effects such as Raman scattering and harmonic generation) and nontrivial since according to Abbe the wavelength of light in the appropriate medium limits the maximum-to-reach localization.

Nowadays in nano optics one distinguishes between two main scenarios. One is the localization of light in nanoscale particles or an ensemble of particles and interfaces that come with a huge field enhancement at their surfaces. Secondly, one can create through micro- and nanostructuring of matter three-dimensional optical materials (metamaterials), whose properties are mainly derived from the structure and not from the intrinsic material properties and are therefore engineerable.

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