We present details on the formation and optical peroperties of CdTe nanowires, which were found to grow in a standard phosphate-buffered solution, including micro-photoluminescence and fluorescence lifetime imaging.

A detailed study of the photonic modes in microtube cavity of ~ 7-8 μm outer diameter is presented. We demonstrate a new route to the fabrication of individual microtubes with the maximum length of 200 μm, using a vacuum assisted wetting and filtration through a microchannel glass matrix. The microtubes were studied using micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy and luminescence lifetime imaging confocal microscopy. In the emission spectra of the microresonators we find periodic very narrow peaks corresponding to the whispering gallery modes of two orthogonal polarizations with quality factors upto 3200 at room temperature. In order to identify the peaks in the observed mode structure, we have adopted the boundary-value solution to the problem of scattering of electromagnetic waves by a dielectric microcylinder. A strong enhancement in photoluminescence decay rates at high excitation power suggest the occurrence of amplified spontaneous emission from a single microtube. The evanescent field in these photonic structures extends a couple of micrometers into the surroundings providing the possibility for efficient coupling to an external photonic device.

The thermal radiation from single-wall carbon nanotube has been investigated both in the near- and far-field zones. The discrete spectrum structure for metallic nanotubes due to the geometrical resonances of surface plasmons is predicted.

Role of incident electromagnetic field enhancement and photon density of states with respect to scattering (Raman and Rayleigh processes) and spontaneous emission of photons is discussed. Field enhancement and density of states effects should manifest themselves in the same manner in photoluminescence and scattering processes. Differences in scattering and luminescence enhancement are due to quenching processes which are less pronounced for scattering but crucial for luminescence because of finite internal relaxation processes between excitation and emission events and. We consider recent experimental results on single molecule detection by means of surface enhanced Raman scattering and photoluminescence enhancement of quantum dots and consider possible approaches to engineering of efficient light emitting nanostructures.

Formation of single-crystal opal films from a suspension of monodisperse spherical silica particles in a dynamic meniscus area is treated as nanocrystallization involving interparticle interaction forces. Preparation of high-quality photonic-crystal films with a reflection coefficient in the photonic band gap up to 95% is based on the concept of equilibrium crystallization. In practice, this process occurs through the correction of oppositely directed interparticle interaction forces down to a quasi-equilibrium state. Two- and three-layer heterostructures have been produced from single-crystal films with various sizes of silica spheres. Well-resolved allowed ranges within photonic band gaps have been detected for three-layer heterostructures, suggesting interesting applications of photonic crystals.

The random lasing of R6G-dyed vesicular polymeric films was investigated. The short-range ordering of vesicles allows classifying the films as 2D short-range photonic crystals. Nevertheless the ordering causes neither resonant nor interference conditions in this medium but the films reveal good lasing parameters: low lasing threshold and high luminescence-to-lasing transition rate. The obtained lasing spectra reveal quasi-linear structure when pump intensity is considerably above the lasing threshold and the dye concentration is over2*10^-3M/l. All spectral lines are good reproducible from shot to shot. The dye concentration as well as pump intensity do not influence the frequencies of spectral lines. In the absence of any resonant conditions, we discuss the latent vibronic structure of the fluorescence spectrum and Raman scattering revealing as the most probable reasons for the random lasing spectrum structure. The Raman and vibronic frequencies are compared with the observed lasing spectrum lines. Good correlation between the lasing and Raman frequencies is shown. The mechanism of the quasi-linear lasing spectrum formation by amplification of the combined radiation of resonant Raman scattering and luminescence up to saturation is proposed. The random lasing spectrum in diffusive regime is denoted to provide a new way of laser dye Raman scattering investigation.

The elastic multiple light scattering (EMLS) at which a partial confinement of photons within the limits of area, where amplification exists, promotes development of a lasing with all tags of amplified stimulated emission (ASE). Because the spectral narrowing of the lasing with pumping power growing runs fluently without any catastrophe tags, possible for the case of arbitrary resonances (cavity modes, distributed feedback or Anderson localization modes), the lasing emission conserves the initial smooth spectral power distribution in spite of the strong spectral narrowing in the mass. Simple theoretical description of ASE stipulated EMLS in relation of band width evolution and scaled threshold conditions that is based upon the approximate determination of mean free path in EMLS media as l≈(Nσ_sct -α_gain)^-1 and Kubelka-Munk model are completed.

The films with low and high concentrations of CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles have been investigated under action of visible and ultra-violet laser radiation in a wide range of power densities and temperatures. Strong shifts of absorption and luminescence spectra without increase in their width have been observed at the transition from the solution to the films of quantum dots. A complex investigation of anti-stokes luminescence of nanoparticles films has shown its thermal mechanism. Luminescence spectra of the films of quantum dots under action of ultra-violet laser radiation allow monitoring the presence of surface-active TOP and TOPO molecules in the films of quantum dots. The absence of surface-active molecules in the films with high concentration of CdSe/ZnS nanoparticles is shown. The modes of the action of power laser radiation on the films of quantum dots have been investigated. The possibility of controlling the thickness of the films by laser ablation has been shown.

The near-field response of optically excited nanoparticle structure buried within thin dielectric layer is theoretically and numerically studied. Nanostructure is modeled as a finite-size periodic array of dipole-like gold nanoparticles, the size of the structure is assumed to be much smaller than the wavelength of the external electromagnetic wave. The layer with the particles is located on a dielectric substrate which is irradiated by an external monochromatic optical wave under condition of total internal reflection. For the determination of the field in the system we make use of the Green's function formalism and the dipole approximation. The dyadic Green's function of a three layer system is used in the unretarded approximation. In order to investigate plasmon resonance response of the nanoparticle structure we calculated the average dipole moment magnitude of the particles as a function of light wavelength for different parameters characterizing the layer environment and the structure. It has been found that the dielectric constant of layer containing the particle structure can strongly effect the resonance shifts in the system. This influence is depended on the external field polarization and inter-particle distances in the structure.

The ordering of nanoparticles in polymer matrix using holographic photopolymerization is investigated. The general approach to the selection of the photopolymerizable compounds is proposed. The nonlinear and luminescent properties of obtained gratings are studied.

Optical hysteresis in Fabry-Perot interferometer having intermediate layer of synthetic SiO₂ opal which is filled with nonlinear medium is simulated numerically. Bistable behavior and transverse nonlinear dynamics of transmitted and reflected intensity are analyzed.

The general idea of the present investigations is to use both TE and TM polarization of electromagnetic wave in high resolution scanning differential heterodyne microscope to get information about width and depth of deep and narrow metalized rectangular grooves. The main application of the method is the characterization of plasmon polariton waveguides. Using rigorous diffraction theory we have demonstrated the difference in periodic depth dependences of phase and amplitude contrast of microscope response for TE and TM polarization of probing beams. We have also proposed a method of depth and width control for grooves in case of a phase inversion of response.

Optical and magnetooptical properties of metallic subwavelength gratings onto the surface of uniformly magnetized dielectric substrate were investigated. Special attention was paid to the regions of the Wood's anomalies. Faraday and Kerr were shown to demonstrate resonance behavior at the surface plasmon polaritons wavelengths regions. The possibility of influence on the magnetooptical effects by specially prepared nanostructuring was demonstrated.

Macroscopic materials built from assembled gold nanoparticles are presented. The structure is characterized via SEM. It turns out to consist of a long, tube-like network with several bifurcations. The tubes have diameters in the range of one micrometer. Electron microscopy also indicates that the nanoparticles of the system are still separated from each other. The procedure is likely to be a template mediated assembly with a carbon compound as template, even though the complete growth mechanism still has to be investigated.

System of two identical quantum wells both containing an energy subband under electromagnetic wave influence is studied. Possibility of controlled electron transfer from energy subband localized in the first quantum well to subband localized in the second one (i.e. charge transfer between two spatially separated wells) is demonstrated. Analytical expressions and numerical estimations in case of two delta-function-wells model are adduced.

The refraction is theoretically considered of ultra-short pulses at interface of two dielectrics that contains a thin film of nonlinear material featured by the negative refractive index in a certain frequency band. For the models of meta-material composed of nanoparticles and magnetic nanocircuits (split-ring resonators), the equations are obtained suitable for describing the coherent responses: photon echo, optical nutations, and harmonic generation. The numerical simulation demonstrates the emergence of photon echo in inhomogeneous system of meta-atoms. It is supposed that the reported methods are applicable for investigation of thin meta-material films.

The mechanisms of specific optical nonlinearities, inherent in disorder metal nanoparticle aggregates in the field of pulsed laser radiation are studied. The role of various processes occuring in resonant domains of aggregates and the kinetics of these processes during their interaction with laser radiation which result in dynamic variation of polarizability of aggregates are analyzed.

The investigation of nanosecond ruby laser impact on Ge/Si heterostructures with Ge_xSi_1-x quantum dots (QD's) has been carried out. Both energy density in pulse and number of pulses changed. Raman spectroscopy was used to study the nanocluster states before and after laser irradiation. The method for control of composition and strain in Ge-Si based quantum dots was essentially improved.

Third-harmonic generation (THG) enhancement caused by the surface-plasmon excitation on a metal diffraction grating is investigated theoretically. Basic features of THG are considered for different ways of the surface plasmon excitation. Nonlinear interactions between the plasmons are analyzed and explained.

The effect exerted by temperature and time of heating and by a resonance photoexcitation on the relative concentration of the molecular components of a dicarbocyanine polymethine dye layer, the rate of variation of the orientation angle of components and its limiting value was studied. The model of the thermally and photo-induced rearrangement of the layer is developed.

A theory of the nonlinear interaction between a single quantum dot (QD) and electromagnetic fields, accounting the QD-depolarization (local-field) has been developed. QD excitation by classical and quantum electromagnetic fields such as coherent state of light, Fock qubit and gaussian excitation has been considered. As a result, for the case of the QD illuminated by coherent states of light, we predict the appearance of two oscillatory regimes in the Rabi oscillations. In the first one, signatures of Rabi oscillations are found to be suppressed: the population inversion is negative and the conventional collapse-revivals phenomenon is absent, while in the second one the collapse and revivals are appeared, showing significant difference as compared to those predicted within the standard Jaynes-Cummins theory. Under the pulsed excitation, Rabi oscillation dynamics is found to be strongly depended on the input pulse area and duration.

Model of light transmission through a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film with nanosized nematic droplets at oblique and normal illumination is presented. The model is based on the Rayleigh-Gans approximation describing light scattering by a single droplet and the Foldy-Twersky equation taking into account multiple scattering. Dependences of extinction, phase shift, and polarization state of light on the applied electric field are considered. The theoretical results are compared with the available experimental data.

We consider optical properties of metal-dielectric composite media which have active laser medium as one of components. For various concentrations of components using exact electrodynamical calculations, we investigate the behavior of amplification coefficient which is necessary to compensate the absorption at metallic inclusions.

The carrier multiplication (CM) process generated from single photon absorption in spherical quantum dots is studied theoretically taking into account as the perturbations the electron-radiation and the Coulomb electron-electron interaction. New aspects related with Raman scattering phenomena accompanying the light absorption were revealed. Side by side with the creation of two or more electron-hole (e-h) pairs the Raman scattering photons can appear. A semiconductor with simple parabolic e-h bands and impenetrable spherical symmetry quantum dots with strong size quantization were considered. In these conditions the band-to-band quantum transitions lead to creation of e-h pairs with the same quantum numbers l, n, m of the envelope functions. Only such type wave functions of the e-h pairs with the same quantum numbers l, n, m were used as the real and virtual electron states in the frame of the perturbation theory. The photon states are also introduced. First of all the probability to create two e-h pairs was studied in the scheme, when the first step is the obligatory participation of electron-photon interaction followed by the second step involving the electron-electron interaction. Side by side with this variant, the process of light absorption with the creation of two e-h pairs accompanied by a Raman scattered photon was studied. In this case the second step of the perturbation theory is also based on the electron-radiation interaction. In the first obligatory step the resonant part of the electron-radiation interaction is used, whereas in the second step the antiresonant part is engaged. In difference on the first variant this second process leads to smooth absorption band shape and can explain the existence of the threshold on the frequency dependence of the CM quantum efficiency in the photon frequency region corresponding to creation of two e-h pairs.

A fabrication of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active substrates has been developed by immersion plating of the silver onto porous silicon (Ag-por-Si). Effects of the porous silicon morphology on the structure of the Ag films have been analyzed by scanning electronic microscope. Activity of the Ag-coated por-Si toward SERS was estimated using water-soluble porphyrins as analyte molecules. The Ag-por-Si samples were appeared to be sensitive and stable SERS-active substrates. It has been found that the variation of SERS signal scanned over the sample surface is less than 9%. Additionally, plates of Ag-por-Si displayed high sensitivity being stored within 1 month in the air. It was shown that even several minutes incubation of Ag-por-Si in solution is enough to obtain well-defined SERS signal. SERS spectra of the water-soluble cationic tetrakis(N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin (H₂TMPyP4) and anionic tetrakis(sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (H₂TPPS) were compared with their resonance Raman (RR) spectra. For the cationic H₂TMPyP4 the partial metallation has been detected during impregnation of the porphyrin molecules on the Ag-por-Si surface. In case of the anionic H₂TPPS there was no evidence of the silver complex formation.

We study the harmonic generation spectrum in a semiconductor superlattice (a quantum-dot array) at slow relaxation. The effect of single-mode response in a meander electric field is demonstrated: for certain values of field parameters the extremely wide discrete output spectrum with slowly decaying tails (multi-harmonic generation) shrinks to one single harmonic (single-harmonic generation). Similarly, the effect is manifested in the continuous transition spectrum by diminishing the divergencies (peaks) at all odd harmonics, but one. This effect has no analogs in smooth harmonic fields. Substantial control over the spectrum is demonstrated.

The operation of the scanning near-field optical microscope based on the double-resonant montage of a fiber probe onto the tuning fork (working frequency of the latter, that is 32 kHz, coincides with the second resonance frequency of the bending oscillations of the free standing part of a fiber beam) in liquid is reported. It is shown that due to the peculiarities of the probe montage (initially large, around 3,000 - 5,500 quality factor of the dithering and long projection of the fiber beam beyond the tuning fork body) and microscope electronics, this SNOM is very fit to work in liquids. Quality factor of the sensor drops down to the values around 300 - 600 when the probe tip is submerged on the depth of 0.2 - 0.3 mm, thus remaining large enough to enable high quality imaging with rather small acting force value laying in the subnanoNewton region. We also discuss the joint liquid recipient construction which connects the liquid cell containing a sample with the large water reservoir via a flexible tube. This reservoir is placed onto separate Z-stage and hence the water level in the cell can be regulated independently from the sample position which facilitates the SNOM operation a lot.

We investigated the instability of space-charge waves in SSL in the conditions of the schemes of generation based on the the generalized LSA scheme. We demonstrate that in general case the condition for space-charge instability depends on the wave vector of perturbation k. This effect can change conditions for the operation in generalized limited space-charge accumulation mode of Bloch oscillator.

In the present work the mechanisms of the optical radiation action on the Na metal island films, representing ensemble of nanoparticles deposited on a dielectric substrate and interacting with each other due to the electron transport between the islands, were investigated. The major effect of optical radiation action on the film conductivity was found to be caused by photons with the energies above the threshold of the photoeffect in Na. The appreciable action of illumination with the wavelengths greater than the photoelectric threshold was also detected and interpreted.

The directed surface passivation of semiconductor CdSe, CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals (NC) by di-meso-pyridyl substituted porphyrins (H₂P) as well as quinone and his derivatives with increasing electron accepting abilities has been realized via the reversible non-covalent self-assembly interaction of organic and inorganic subunits. The formation of "NC-organic ligand" composites leads to the observed NC luminescence quenching (intensity decrease and decay shortening). It was shown that NC luminescence quenching by directly attached porphyrin ligands is due to the exciton non-radiative deactivation via processes realized in CdSe core interface. In this case, strong exciton-phonon interactions and charge localization depend essentially on physico-chemical and electronic properties (inductive and mesomeric effects) of the ligand and linker group. In NCs capped with quinones, using steady-state and picosecond transient spectroscopy it was found that the luminescence quenching is due to the photoinduced electron transfer and strongly depends on redox properties of quinone and its derivatives.

A novel type of surface plasmon-polariton modes having the cylindrical symmetry in the plane interface of a metal film bounded by dielectric slabs is investigated. Bessel- and Hankel- modifications of such modes are introduced and studied. The possibility of excitation surface waves on the cylindrical surface also is analyzed. The dispersion equation for these waves has been obtained and investigated.

A general synthetic strategy for the synthesis of the near-infrared emitting materials, colloidal HgTe and PbX (where X = S, Se, Te) nanocrystals (NCs) is introduced. Further, the potential for these materials to be employed in applications such as light emitting diodes is discussed.

We present a detailed study of the localized coupled-cavity modes in a photonic molecule formed from two dielectric spherical microcavities with CdTe nanocrystals, which show a multi-peak narrowband modal structure resulting from lifting of the mode degeneracy with respect to the azimuthal quantum number. The feasibility of photonic molecules as the basis for a multi-channel, wavelength-tunable optical delay device is analysed.

Wood's anomaly is experimentally observed in 2D plasmon-assisted nickel magnetophotonic crystals. It is shown to be accompanied by ≃ 2 times enhancement of longitudinal Kerr effect. Wood's anomaly appears only for p-polarization of incident light at any angle of incidence in the range between 10° and 70°. It vividly indicates surface plasmon-polariton inducing on nickel surface. The experimental results are proved by numerical calculations.

One-dimensional photonic microstructures with optical thicknesses chosen according to the fractal sequence of the Cantor's ladder are considered. Experimental samples made by electrochemical etching of porous silicon are studied. Both numerical calculations and experimental results demonstrate self-similarity in reflection spectrum. Numerical calculations demonstrate self-similarity in space distribution and time-resolved response caused by self-similarity in morphology.

We propose ultrathin plasmonic nanocoatings that can absorb more than 90% of visible light in a broad (exceeding 100 nm) wavelength range, reaching almost total absorption at the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelength. Such a coating contains only two monolayers of metal nanoparticles (with smaller nanoparticles in the first monolayer and larger nanoparticles in the second monolayer) separated by a dielectric film with quarter-wave thickness. We analytically derive spectral characteristics of two-monolayer systems and explore the regimes, which must be satisfied for realization of high-absorptive coatings at the SPR range.

At the early stage of quantum mechanics, classical optical phenomena were used to form intuitive concepts of quantum interference and diffraction and assisted in development of wave mechanics foundation. Later on, quantum theory of complex structures has revealed many principal phenomena that have their counterparts in classical electromagnetism. Progress in nanophotonics is shown to result essentially from systematic transfer of ideas and concepts from quantum solid state theory to optics. A brief historical overview of the principal nanophotonic concepts and its quantum counterparts is provided and the possible reasons are discussed why quantum effects have been transferred to electromagnetism but not vice versa. Based on existing opto-electronic twins, at least 2 cases of non-identified effects are outlined. These are regularities of electron spectra in fractal heterostructures to be transferred from optics to quantum physics, and, surface Tamm states to be transferred from quantum physics to nanophotonics.

We consider optical phenomena that originate due to existence of the toroidal moment. These are nonreciprocal birefrigence and dichroism, polarization rotation and modulating of light intensity. Nanostructuring offers the possibility of these effects enhancement.

Dynamic holographic properties under the action of nanosecond laser pulses are investigated in novel composites based on lyotropic ionic liquid crystals, ionic smectic glasses with dye impurities and colored ionic smectic glasses of cobalt decanoate. Different mechanisms of optical susceptibility are found for different composites. The holographic gratings are characterized by fast time of recording, fast time grating relaxation, high spacial resolution, negligible small thermal grating. Oriented smectic glasses are novel matrixes to operate with "pure" optical nonlinearity of used impurities. Switching on/off holographic recording by dc voltage is obtained in lyotropic ionic liquid crystals with electro-chromic impurities. The materials are perspective for dynamic photonic elements operated with pulsed laser excitation.

An unusual phenomenon of non-monotone change of phosphosilicate glass network, including its structural elements (i.e. inter-atomic bonds, phosphorous and siliceous point defects, ring structures of SiO₄ tetrahedra) under laser irradiation at 193 nm is discovered. The phenomenon is explained by applying conceptions of the rigidity percolation theory, which describes connectivity of atoms in network, for the phosphosilicate glass under UV-exposure. Presence of phosphorous atoms in silica glass decreases the rigidity of the network in comparison with silica. Generation of point defects in the phosphosilicate network due to the two-photon light absorption decreases of the rigidity in addition and finally leads to achievement of the network rigidity threshold. This results in a transformation of the network from the rigid to a floppy mode where switches of bonds between atoms are possible. But later under exposure the network switches back into the rigid mode and the cycle of rigidity change can be repeated several times. This quasi-periodical transformation of phosphosilicate glass network leads to the corresponding change of inter-atomic bonds, point defects concentration and reconstruction of ring structures during an exposure. The presence off the network in the floppy mode affords one to explain a change off phosphosilicate glass density and induced index in a new manner.

In this paper we compare different effective medium approximations that are widely used for refractive index and birefringence simulation in 2d nanostructures with plane-wave expansion approach which is considered and proved to be absolutely correct. It is estimated independence of the result of extraordinary refractive index (for TM-polarization) simulation on the method. Calculations carried out for model porous alumina film demonstrate the best agreement between results of plane-wave expansion method and Maxwell-Garnett theory. For Bruggeman approximation and Boundary conditions model applicability regions have been clarified at the porosity scale.

A new material for phase and phase-relief optical recording in the ultraviolet spectral region with postexposure diffusion enhancement has been developed based on poly(methyl methacrylate) doped with aromatic ketones. Advantages of the material are a high enhancement coefficient at significant final refractive index modulation amplitude and good stability.

The paper presents an optical device that permits dynamic limiting of the power of nanosecond pulsed laser radiation. Different possibilities to control the characteristics of optical limiters based on reverse saturable polymethine dyes with the use of schemes including lenses and diaphragms have been analyzed. It is proposed to change the geometric position of a dye cell relative to the focal region to control an operation threshold of the limiter. It is established that the efficiency of optical limiting may be improved using additionally the effect of thermal defocusing.

The results of experimental and theoretical studies into the optical characteristics of a new indotricarbocyanine dye are presented indicating that this dye shows much promise as an effective (nonlinear) power limiter for laser radiation in the visible. The luminescent and energy characteristics of the dye molecules are experimentally studied, and the absorption spectra are given with nanosecond resolution. The electronic absorption spectra for the ground (S₀→S_n) and excited (S₁→S_n) states are calculated using the quantum-chemical methods. A nature of the electronic state of the molecule under study is established, and a rate constant of the intramolecular processes is determined. The theoretical results coordinate well with the experimental data. The investigated dye reveals singlet-singlet absorption in the region 400-600 nm. Excitation of the dye is realized by the second harmonic radiation of a Nd-YAG laser. The Z-scan method with the open diaphragm is used to determine the absorption cross-section of indotricarbocyanine dye upon 532 nm excitation. The nonlinear absorption characteristics of the given molecule are compared to the earlier results obtained for other polymethine dyes.

As an alternative to adaptive-grid finite-element analysis, the full-vector finite-difference computations of a Bragg fiber are performed on a polar grid "stretched" radially to better resolve the multilayer cladding of the fiber.