Nanoscale Quantum Optics

Traditional quantum optics studies atom-photon interactions on an optical wavelength scale, and has been the favorite playground for testing the foundations of quantum mechanics. In parallel, research on plasmonics and metamaterials has shown that light may be confined to length scales well below the diffraction limit. The promise for quantum optics is that photons can interact more efficiently with solid-state quantum emitters on the nanoscale. It is however unclear to what extent standard quantum optics concepts apply to the nanoscale and how well quantum light fields can be confined on this scale. Thereby a new field of nanoscale quantum optics is emerging internationally.

The aim of this workshop is to discuss how quantum optics emerges at the nanoscale by bringing together leading experts from the metamaterials/plasmonics community (control of light generation and propagation on the nanoscale), and that of traditional quantum optics (quantum light sources and quantum measurements). Besides facilitating promising collaborations across these fields, the workshop will help fostering and educating a new generation of junior quantum opticians, theoreticians as well as experimentalists.

The discussion will be centered around the following key questions:

1. How is spontaneous emission and atom-photon coupling modified by nanoscale field confinement?

2. How to describe stimulated emission in nanostructures and nanolasers?

3. Is there a need for new quantum optics theory at subwavelength length scales and how to explore this?