ABSTRACT
Note that the true nature of nanophotonics is to realize “qualitative innovation” in photonic devices, fabrications, and systems by utilizing novel functions and phenomena caused by optical near-œeld interactions, which are impossible as long as conventional propagating light is used. On reading this note, one may understand that the advantage of going beyond the di˜raction limit, that is, “quantitative innovation,” is no longer essential, but only a secondary nature of nanophotonics. In this sense, one should also note that optical near-œeld microscopy, that is, the methodology used for image acquisition and interpretation in a nondestructive manner, is not an appropriate application of nanophotonics because the magnitude of the optical near-œeld energy transferred between the probe and sample must be extrapolated to zero to avoid destroying the sample.
