Nanophotonics

Nanophotonics is a fast growing area of both scientific significance and practical values for applications. Nanophotonics studies the interaction between light and electronic systems in nanomaterials and nanostructures and the behavior of light in nanometer scales. It is an interdisciplinary field closely related to optics, electronics, nanomaterials, as well as nanostructures. Increasing attentions are given to the area and nanophotonics is expected to have significant impact on future technology advances.

Nanotechnology Reviews, a leading scientific journal aimed at publishing cutting-edge reviews on topics in the realm of nanotechnology, launched a special issue on Nanophotonics. The special issue has five review articles written by leading scientists who are active at the research frontier of nanophotonics. The articles offer reviews and perspectives on important investigations and outcomes in nanophotonics. The review articles emphasize not only new photonic and opto-electronic phenomena, but also various nanomaterials and nanostructures, making it possible to tune optical processes in a controllable way. For instance, the nanomaterials and nanostructures often (but not exclusively) involve metal particles, which can transport and trap light via surface plasmon resonance. The review articles cover broad nanomaterial candidates including noble metal nanostructures, TiO₂ nanotubes, metamaterials, metal-graphene, metal-semiconductor structures, as well as very thin metal films. In those nanomaterials and nanostructures, plasmonic oscillation, light trapping effect, and photon-electron coupling exhibit tunable novel phenomena useful for the enhancement of photon detection, photo-voltaic, superlensing, and hyperlensing.

In this special issue, we wish to present readers with a comprehensive review of recent progress made in the field of nanophotonics. As a fast growing and quickly expending area, interesting new results and new material systems are being reported every moment.