Nanoplasmonics and its Applications

Current progress in photonics and nanotechnology is based on such novel quantum electronic devices as quantum wells, quantum dots, single-electron transistors, etc. At the same time, there is a strong tendency to replace ´slow´ electronic devices with ´fast´ photonic ones. This drive is especially evident in the areas of computing and communication. It requires the development of an optical analogue of an electronic integrated circuit capable of routing, controlling and processing optical signals. Scaling down optical and optoelectronic devices to nanometric dimensions and their integration in photonic circuits requires novel approaches to light manipulation. In this paper, we present an overview of the most recent advances in plasmonics in the context of applications in nanophotonic devices