Nano-Optics is a rapidly evolving field that deals with the interaction of light with matter on nanometer length scales, and it has emerged as a key area of research in the past few decades. It involves the study and manipulation of light fields and photons at length scales below and up to the wavelength of light. This field has gained considerable interest owing to its potential applications in a wide range of areas, including information processing, energy harvesting, sensing, and biomedicine.

One of the key challenges in nanooptics is to overcome the diffraction limit of light, which imposes a limit on the spatial resolution of conventional optics. However, nanoscale localization of light can be achieved by exploiting the unique properties of metallic nanostructures that contain freely movable charge carriers. These structures can be designed to interact strongly with light at optical frequencies, leading to enhanced light-matter interactions, and enabling new applications in the field.

The theoretical foundations of Nano-Optics are rooted in classical electromagnetic theory, including the response of materials at optical frequencies, as well as quantum optics in the second quantization. These theoretical frameworks enable the understanding of the complex interactions between light and matter on the nanoscale.

Nano-Optics is of immense technological relevance for advanced nanoscale light sources, nanocircuitry for light in view of optical information processing, display technology, and solar energy conversion. In particular, the development of efficient and tunable nanoscale light sources is critical for the realization of compact and fast optical communication devices, as well as for the creation of high-resolution displays and sensors.

This course aims to provide an entry-level introduction to the field of Nano-Optics, enabling participants to read the current literature and contribute to the contemporary experimental research work in the field. The course will cover the fundamental principles of Nano-Optics, including the physics of metallic nanostructures, the interaction of light with matter on the nanoscale, and the design and fabrication of nanophotonic devices. By the end of the course, participants will have a solid understanding of the key concepts and techniques in Nano-Optics and will be well-equipped to pursue further research in this exciting field.