This volume presents a considerable number of interrelated contributions dealing with the new scientific ability to shape and control matter and electromagnetic fields on a sub-wavelength scale.

The topics range from the fundamental ones, such as photonic metamateriials, plasmonics and sub-wavelength resolution to the more applicative, such as detection of single molecules, tomography on a micro-chip, fluorescence spectroscopy of biological systems, coherent control of biomolecules, biosensing of single proteins, terahertz spectroscopy of nanoparticles, rare earth ion-doped nanoparticles, random lasing, and nanocoax array architecture.

The various subjects bridge over the disciplines of physics, biology and chemistry, making this volume of interest to people working in these fields. The emphasis is on the principles behind each technique and on examining the full potential of each technique.

The contributions that appear in this volume were presented at a NATO Advanced Study Institute that was held in Erice, Italy, 3-18 July, 2011. The pedagogical aspect of the Institute is reflected in the topics presented in this volume.

Inhalt

Preface.- List of Past Institutes.- Lectures.- Real-time Optical Detection of Single Nanoparticles and Viruses using Heterodyne Interferometry; A. Mitra, L. Novotny.- Photonics Metamaterials and Transformation Optics; M. Wegener.- Plasmonic Enhancement of Light Emission and Scattering in Nanostructures; S. V. Gaponenko.- Sub-Wavelength Optical Fluorescence Microscopy for Biological Applications; P. N. Hedde, G. U. Nienhaus.- Raman Spectroscopy and Optical Coherence Tomography on a Micro-Chip; M. Pollnau et al.- Introduction to Fluorescence Spectroscopy with Applications in Biological Systems; B. Di Bartolo.- NanoPhotonics; C. Evans, E. Mazur.- Synthesis and Spectroscopy of Nanoparticles; A. P. Voitovich et al.- Photonic-Crystal Fiber Platform for Ultrafast Optical Science; A. Zheltikov.-Structure Property Relationships for Exciton Transfer in Conjugated Polymers; T. L. Andrews, T. M. Swager.- Coherent Control of Biomolecules and Imaging using Nanodoublers; L. Bonacina , J. P. Wolf.- Taking Whispering Gallery Mode Biosensing to the Single Protein Limit; S. Arnold et al.- Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging at the Nanoscale for Biological and Security Applications; J. W. Bowen.- Applications of Plasmonics in Biophotonics ; A. Heisterkamp et al.- Principles and Applications of Rare Earth Ion-Doped Nanoparticles ; J. M. Collins.- Is There Segregation in of Rare Earth Ions in Garnet Optical Ceramics; G. Boulon et al.- Random Lasing in Solid State Materials ; J. Fernandez et al.- Imprint-Templated Nanocoax Array Structure; M. J. Naughton.- Short Seminars.- Metallic Nanoclusters in Layered Crystals: Spectroscopy and Computer Simulations; I. Karbovnyk et al.- Optical Antennas for Single Emitter Fluorescence Enhancement; P. Bharadwaj, L. Novotny.- Ultrafast All-Optical Switching in TiO2; C. Evans et al.- Coherent Manipulation of Motional States of a Single Trapped Ion; A. S. Villar.-Thermalization of an Open Quantum System via Full Diagonalization; K. Jacobs, L. Silvestri.- The Role of Localized and Propagating Surface Plasmons in Periodically-Arrayed Nanopillars; F. J. Bezares et al.- Optical and Structural Properties of Noble Metal Island Films; M. Loncaric et al.- Localized Photonics States in Two-Dimensional Quasi-Crystalline Waveguides; G. Benedeck, A. Trabattoni.- Unified Theoretical Model of Loss Compensation and Energy Transfer for Plasmonic Nanoparticles Coated with a Shell of Active Gain Molecules; V. Pustovit et al.- Poster Presentations.- Deep UV Strategy for Discriminating Biomolecules; S. Afonina et al.- Silicon Nanowires Light Emitting Devices at Room Temperature; P. Artoni et al.- Optical and Structural Properties of Europium Oxide Thin Films on Si Substrates; G. Bellocchi et al.- Experimental Indication of Quantum Mechanical Effects in Surface Enhaced IR-Spectroscopy? ; J. Bochterle et al.- Spectral Dependence of the Amplification Factor in Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering ; C. D'Andrea et al.- Investigation of the Metal-Superconductor Hybrid Nanostructure as an Active Medium for Laser; A. Eid et al.- TiO2 for Nonlinear Optical Devices; C. Evans et al.- Atomic Layer Deposition of Lanthanide Oxides; P. A. Hansen et al.- Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering from Bridged Metal Nanocones; M. J. Huttunen et al.- Femtosecond Laser Nanofabrication of Metal Structures through Multiphoton Photoreduction; S. Y. Kang et al.- Nanostructured Thick-Film Spinel Ceramic Materials for Sensor Device Applications; H. Klym, I. Karbovnyk.- Realization of a Two-Dimensional Isotropic Metamaterials; J. Kaschke et al.- Nanoscale Seminconductor Optical Devices; N. Kuznetsova et al.- Optical Properties of Thermochromic VO2 Nanoparticles; K. Laaksonen et al.- Lithium Niobate: The Silicon of Photonics!; M. Manzo et al.- Infrared Induced White Anti-Stokes Emissions LiYbP4O12 Nanocrystals; L. Marciniak et al.- Enhanced Light Emission from Si Nanocrystals Coupled to Plasmonic Structures; E. Massa et al.- A Spintronic Single Photon Source and Spin Manipulation in Spininjection-LEDs; A. Merz.- Polarizing Beam Splitters; J. Mueller, M. Wegener.- Point Defects Aggregation in LiF Crystals After Irradiation; A. P. Voitovich et al.- Diamond Photonic Crystal Slab with Enhanced Photoluminescence Extraction Efficiency; L. Ondic, I. Pelant.- Spectral Markers of Erythrocytes on Solid Substrate; A. A. Paiziev, V.A. Krakhmalev.- Lanthanide Doped Nanocrystalline Alkaline Earth Fluorides: Synthesis, Structural, Morphological and Spectroscopic Investigation; M. Pedroni et al.- Observation of Surface Plasmon in Metal-Coated Tapered Fiber Terminated by a Subwalength Aperture; V. Palm et al.- Fabrication of Single Photon Sources by Use of Pyramidal Quantum Dot Microcavities; D. Rülke et al.- Investigation of GaN- and CuInGaSe2- Based Heterostructures for Optoelectronics Applications; M. Z. Rzheutski et al.- Ebic Investigation of the Recombination at the Edges of GaAs Solar Cells; A. Scacabarozzi, M. Acciarri.- Dynamical Properties of Cardiomyocytes in Three-Dimensional Polymer Scaffolds; A. Scheiwe et al.- Femtosecond Laser Doped Silicon Photovoltaic Applications; M. J. Sher et al.- Laser and Optical Properties of Green-Emitting ZnCdSe Quantum Dot Based Heterostructures; A. G. Vainilovich et al.- Stokes Parameters Measurements for Whispering Gallery Modes Microcavities Characterization; F. Vanier et al.- Photonic Crystal Fiber Synthesizer for Ultrafast Lightwaves; A. A. Voronin et al.- Single Nanoparticle Surface Enhanced Fluorescence; L. R. Webster et al.- List of Participants.- Index.-