Nanophotonics

6 EC

Semester 1, period 2

5354NANO6Y

Owner Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree)
Coordinator prof. dr. A.F. Koenderink
Part of Master Physics and Astronomy, track Advanced Matter and Energy Physics, Master Physics and Astronomy, track Science for Energy and Sustainability, Master Physics and Astronomy, track Theoretical Physics, Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree), track Biophysics and Biophotonics, Master Physics and Astronomy (joint degree), track General Physics and Astronomy,

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

Controlling photons, and the interaction of photons with matter is of prime importance in quantum optics, quantum information technology, classical information technology, spectroscopy of matter and, e.g., photovoltaics. Nanophotonics is a very active and young research field that aims at controlling light and matter using materials that are sculpted on the nanoscale. The lectures will cover the following topics:

  • Refractive index, material resonances, Kramers-Kronig, particle plasmons
  • Surface Plasmon polaritons -guiding light with metals
  • Metamaterials, negative refractive index, causality
  • Photonic crystals - band structures and defect states to guide light with dielectrics
  • Fermi’s Golden Rule, controlling vacuum fluctuations via density of states
  • Microcavities for cavity QED. Quantum optomechanics
  • Near-field scanning probe microscopy
  • Single molecule microscopy and quantum optics with single emitters
  • Scattering in random systems – cross sections, mean free paths

While the lectures will have a strong theoretical underpinning, the course will also include a visit to nanophotonics laboratories and the nanofabrication facility at the AMOLF institute. Furthermore the lectures will be supplemented with brief presentations by students of recent papers chosen from Nature/Science/Nature Photonics/Nano Letters and Physical Review Letters.

Study materials

Literature

  • Lukas Novotny and Bert Hecht, 'Principles of Nano-Optics', Cambridge University Press. Available as hardcover or paperback 

Other

  • Lecture notes made available digitally, also containing excercises

Objectives

  • Explain concepts of nanophotonics as listed in the sub themes, and explain how these apply in modern scientific literature to novel light sources, detectors, optical information processing, photovoltaics and quantum optics.
  • To analyze the physical optics of diffraction, scattering, interference and dispersive propagation in metallic, dielectric, and periodic nanophotonic geometries, and to classify performance of nanophotonic structures on basis of these properties.
  • Presentations of high-impact nanophotonics papers will further strengthen the process of gaining 'mastery' of this material, so that the student is able to critically discuss current developments in nanophootonics, and compare them to the state of the art.

Teaching methods

  • Lecture
  • Presentation/symposium
  • Self-study
  • Computer lab session/practical training
  • Fieldwork/excursion

Lectures - transfer of knowledge by building up the theory of nanophotonic phenomena as mentioned in the topic list,  and using visual examples from current scientific literature to show the relevance of concepts.

Practical training / computer lab -  calculate actual example problems to practice with the formalisms presented in the lectures,  and recognizing how concepts emerge / represent themselves in representative example cases.

Fieldwork / excursion -   gaining an undestanding of current developments and the state of the art in nanophotonics is ensured by taking the students to nanofabrication and nano-optics measurement set ups,  where researchers show actual examples.

Presentation/symposium -   the students are asked to resolve a conceptual question, using recent scientific articles as input to use in the presentations

Self study -  deepening of knowledge.

 

Learning activities

Activity

Number of hours

Zelfstudie

168

Attendance

  • Some course components require compulsory attendance. If compulsory attendance applies, this will be indicated in the Course Catalogue which can be consulted via the UvA-website. The rationale for and implementation of this compulsory attendance may vary per course and, if applicable, is included in the Course Manual.

    • Assessment

    Item and weight Details

    Final grade

    0.5 (50%)

    Tentamen

    0.25 (25%)

    Intermediate exam

    0.15 (15%)

    Presentation

    0.1 (10%)

    Canvas quizes

    Inspection of assessed work

    The manner of inspection will be communicated via the lecturer's website.

    Assignments

    We provide 5 non-assessed homework assignments,  which can be made individually and with fellow students,  with two TA sessions per exercise.  The TAs will present salient problem areas on the board after students have had opportunity to work on them. During the lecture following the period in which students could work on an exercise sets we will take a 10 minute CANVAS quiz that is on the exercise topic. Together these quizes count for 10% of the grade, see above.

     

     

     

    Fraud and plagiarism

    The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

    Course structure

    Weeknummer Onderwerpen Studiestof
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8

    Contact information

    Coordinator

    • prof. dr. A.F. Koenderink