This book discusses electrons and photons in and through nanostructures by the first-principles quantum mechanical theories and fundamental concepts (a unified coverage of nanostructured electronic and optical components) behind nanoelectronics and optoelectronics, the material basis, physical phenomena, device physics, as well as designs and applications. The combination of viewpoints presented in the book can help foster further research and cross-disciplinary interaction needed to surmount the barriers facing future generations of technology design.

Optical properties are among the most fascinating and useful properties of nanomaterials and have been extensively studied using a variety of optical spectroscopic techniques. A basic understanding of the optical properties and related spectroscopic techniques is essential for anyone who is interested in learning about nanomaterials of semiconductors, insulators or metal. This is partly because optical properties are intimately related to other properties and functionalities (e.g. electronic, magnetic, and thermal) that are of fundamental importance to many technological applications, such as energy conversion, chemical analysis, biomedicine, optoelectronics, communication, and radiation detection.Intentionally designed for upper-level undergraduate students and beginning graduate students with some basic knowledge of quantum mechanics, this book provides the first systematic coverage of optical properties and spectroscopic techniques of nanomaterials.

This book introduces the fascinating world of plasmonics and physics at the nanoscale, with a focus on simulations and the theoretical aspects of optics and nanotechnology. A research field with numerous applications, plasmonics bridges the gap between the micrometer length scale of light and the secrets of the nanoworld. This is achieved by binding light to charge density oscillations of metallic nanostructures, so-called surface plasmons, which allow electromagnetic radiation to be focussed down to spots as small as a few nanometers. The book is a snapshot of recent and ongoing research and at the same time outlines our present understanding of the optical properties of metallic nanoparticles, ranging from the tunability of plasmonic resonances to the ultrafast dynamics of light-matter interaction. Beginning with a gentle introduction that highlights the basics of plasmonic interactions and plasmon imaging, the author then presents a suitable theoretical framework for the description of metallic nanostructures. This model based on this framework is first solved analytically for simple systems, and subsequently through numerical simulations for more general cases where, for example, surface roughness, nonlinear and nonlocal effects or metamaterials are investigated.

The common belief is that light is completely reflected by metals. In reality they also exhibit an amazing property that is not so widely known: under some conditions light flows along a metallic surface as if it were glued to it. Physical phenomena related to these light waves, which are called Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPP), have given rise to the research field of plasmonics. This thesis explores four interesting topics within plasmonics: extraordinary optical transmission, negative refractive index metamaterials, plasmonic devices for controlling SPPs, and field enhancement phenomena near metal nanoparticles.

A rigorous guide providing a unified, multidisciplinary treatment of the fundamentals of optical and optoelectronic nanostructures.

This book gives a theoretical description of linear and nonlinear optical responses of matter with special emphasis on the microscopic and ‘nonlocal’ nature of resonant response. It will have a tremendous influence on modern device techniques, as it deals with frontier research in response theory.

Ellipsometry is a powerful tool used for the characterization of thin films and multi-layer semiconductor structures. This book deals with fundamental principles and applications of spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Beginning with an overview of SE technologies the text moves on to focus on the data analysis of results obtained from SE, Fundamental data analyses, principles and physical backgrounds and the various materials used in different fields from LSI industry to biotechnology are described. The final chapter describes the latest developments of real-time monitoring and process control which have attracted significant attention in various scientific and industrial fields.

Examines the optical properties of low-dimensional semiconductor structures, a hot research area - for graduate students and researchers.

This book describes the physics behind the optical properties of plasmonic nanostructures focusing on chiral aspects. It explains in detail how the geometry determines chiral near-fields and how to tailor their shape and strength. Electromagnetic fields with strong optical chirality interact strongly with chiral molecules and, therefore, can be used for enhancing the sensitivity of chiroptical spectroscopy techniques. Besides a short review of the latest results in the field of plasmonically enhanced enantiomer discrimination, this book introduces the concept of chiral plasmonic near-field sources for enhanced chiroptical spectroscopy. The discussion of the fundamental properties of these light sources provides the theoretical basis for further optimizations and is of interest for researchers at the intersection of nano-optics, plasmonics and stereochemistry.

This comprehensive text provides a basic introduction to the optical properties of polymers, as well as a systematic overview of the latest developments in their nano engineering applications—including L-GRIN lenses, 3D holographic displays, optical gene detection, and more. Covering an increasingly important class of materials relevant not only in academic research but also in industry, this book emphasizes the importance of nano engineering in improving the fundamental optical properties of the functional polymers, elaborating on high-level research while thoroughly explaining the underlying principles.