2
M. I. Stockman
on this subject—see, e.g., [7–11]. Also, due to limitations of time and space we do not
cover systematically a subject of particular interest to us: the adiabatic nanoconcentration of optical energy [12]. There are many important experimental developments
and promising applications of this phenomenon [12–22]. This field by itself is large
enough to warrant a dedicated review. We only briefly touch this subject in Sect. 1.4.5.
Another important class of questions that we leave mostly outside of this review
chapter are concerned with applications of nanoplasmonics. Among this applications
are sensing, biomedical diagnostics, labels for biomedical research, nanoantennas
for light-emitting diodes, etc. There exist a significant number of reviews on the
applications of nanopalsmonics, of which we mention just a few below, see also
a short feature article [23]. Especially promising and important are applications to
cancer treatment [24, 25], sensing and solar energy conversion to electricity [26],
and photo-splitting of hydrogen [27] and water [28] (“artificial photosynthesis” for
solar production of clean fuels).
Presently, nanoplasmonics became a highly developed and advanced science.
It would have been an impossible task to review even a significant part of it. We
select some fundamental subjects in plasmonics of high and general interest. We
hope that our selection reflects the past, shows the modern state, and provides an
attempt to glimpse into the future. Specifically, our anticipation is that the ultrafast
nanoplasmonics, nanoplasmonics in strong field, and the spaser as a necessary active
element will be prominently presented in this future. On the other hand, it is still just
a glimpse into it.
1.1.2 Composition of the Chapter
In Sect. 1.2, we present an extended introduction to nanoplasmonics. Then we
consider selected subfields of nanoplasmonics in more detail. Nanoplasmonics is
presently a rather developed science with a number of effects and rich applications
[23]. In the center of our interest and, in our opinion, the central problem of nanoplasmonics is control and monitoring of the localization of optical energy in space on
the nanometer scale and in time on the femtosecond or even attosecond scale.
In Sect. 1.3, we consider ultimately small nanoplasmonic systems with size less or
on the order of skin depth l s where we employ the so-called quasistatic approximation
to describe in an analytical form the nanolocalized optical fields, their eigenmodes
and hot spots, and introduce the corresponding Green’s functions and solutions. This
section is focused on the spatial nanoconcentration of the local optical fields.
In Sect. 1.4 we present ideas and results of ultrafast nanoplasmonics and coherent
control of nanoscale localization of the optical fields, including control in time with
femtosecond resolution. We will describe both theoretical ideas and some experimental results.
One of the most important problems of the nanoplasmonics, where only recently
solutions and first experimental results have been obtained, is the active and gain
nanoplasmonics. Its major goal is to create nanoscale quantum generators and
M. I. Stockman
on this subject—see, e.g., [7–11]. Also, due to limitations of time and space we do not
cover systematically a subject of particular interest to us: the adiabatic nanoconcentration of optical energy [12]. There are many important experimental developments
and promising applications of this phenomenon [12–22]. This field by itself is large
enough to warrant a dedicated review. We only briefly touch this subject in Sect. 1.4.5.
Another important class of questions that we leave mostly outside of this review
chapter are concerned with applications of nanoplasmonics. Among this applications
are sensing, biomedical diagnostics, labels for biomedical research, nanoantennas
for light-emitting diodes, etc. There exist a significant number of reviews on the
applications of nanopalsmonics, of which we mention just a few below, see also
a short feature article [23]. Especially promising and important are applications to
cancer treatment [24, 25], sensing and solar energy conversion to electricity [26],
and photo-splitting of hydrogen [27] and water [28] (“artificial photosynthesis” for
solar production of clean fuels).
Presently, nanoplasmonics became a highly developed and advanced science.
It would have been an impossible task to review even a significant part of it. We
select some fundamental subjects in plasmonics of high and general interest. We
hope that our selection reflects the past, shows the modern state, and provides an
attempt to glimpse into the future. Specifically, our anticipation is that the ultrafast
nanoplasmonics, nanoplasmonics in strong field, and the spaser as a necessary active
element will be prominently presented in this future. On the other hand, it is still just
a glimpse into it.
1.1.2 Composition of the Chapter
In Sect. 1.2, we present an extended introduction to nanoplasmonics. Then we
consider selected subfields of nanoplasmonics in more detail. Nanoplasmonics is
presently a rather developed science with a number of effects and rich applications
[23]. In the center of our interest and, in our opinion, the central problem of nanoplasmonics is control and monitoring of the localization of optical energy in space on
the nanometer scale and in time on the femtosecond or even attosecond scale.
In Sect. 1.3, we consider ultimately small nanoplasmonic systems with size less or
on the order of skin depth l s where we employ the so-called quasistatic approximation
to describe in an analytical form the nanolocalized optical fields, their eigenmodes
and hot spots, and introduce the corresponding Green’s functions and solutions. This
section is focused on the spatial nanoconcentration of the local optical fields.
In Sect. 1.4 we present ideas and results of ultrafast nanoplasmonics and coherent
control of nanoscale localization of the optical fields, including control in time with
femtosecond resolution. We will describe both theoretical ideas and some experimental results.
One of the most important problems of the nanoplasmonics, where only recently
solutions and first experimental results have been obtained, is the active and gain
nanoplasmonics. Its major goal is to create nanoscale quantum generators and