Nano and Quantum Optics

Ulrich Hohenester is Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Graz, Austria. In 1997 he received his Ph.D. from the University of Graz, and spent the years 1997--2000 as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Modena and Reggion Emilia, Italy. In 2001 he joined the Solid State Theory group in Graz where he obtained his Habilitation in Theoretical Physics. His general interest is in the theoretical description of nanoscale light–matter interactions with a strong focus on plasmonics. He developed a course on nano and quantum optics which was taught several times at the graduate level and which forms the basis of this textbook.

“This magisterial graduate and advanced undergraduate book is highly recommended for its unique features. … All the steps of the derivations are included, and the key equations are boxed. Various approaches to the theory are derived and critically compared, stressing their validity and limitations … . The text isaugmented by color figures, six comprehensive mathematical appendices, problem sets for each chapter, and access to the NANOPT toolbox of MATLAB files.” (Barry R. Masters, Optics & Photonics News, osa-opn.org, June 17, 2021)

• Part I Nano Optics.- What is nano optics?.- Maxwell's equations in a nutshell.- Angular spectrum representation.- Symmetry and forces.- Green functions.- Diffraction limit and beyond.- Material properties.- Stratied media.- Particle plasmons.- Photonic local density of states.- Computational methods in nano optics.- Part II Quantum Aspects.- What is quantum optics?.- Light-matter interaction.- The photon.- Two-level systems.- Master equation.- Photon correlations.- Optical properties from first principles.- Thermal nearfields and the Casimir effect.- Cavities and lasers.- Appendices.