ABSTRACT
Nanophotonics is a subset of nanotechnology that uses the ability to manipulate both the electromagnetic and electronic properties of nanoscale photonic devices. The area basically deals with the interactions between light and matter at a scale shorter than the wavelength of light itself. One way to induce interactions between light and matter in nanometre size is to confine light in such dimensions. These interactions, taking place within the light wavelength and sub-wavelength scales, are determined by the physical, chemical, and structural nature of artificially or naturally nanostructured materials. Different approaches to confining the electromagnetic or quantum mechanical waves are the key issues in nanophotonics. The technology that is driven by the ever-growing need to shrink the size of electronic chips has now evolved to a precision such that the control of flow of photons within such information systems is possible. By combining the need for integration of photonics with the promise of nanofabrication technology, the field of nanophotonic information processing has emerged.
