Fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy is an important tool in many areas of research. Biology has particularly benefitted from fluorescence techniques, since a single molecule's position, local environment, and even activity can be studied in real time by tagging it with a fluorescent label. It is, therefore, important to be able to understand and manipulate fluorescence. One way to control fluorescence is to shape the local electromagnetic fields that excite the fluorescent molecule. This thesis studies the interaction between fluorescent molecules and two nanophotonic structures that highly modify local electromagnetic fields: the bowtie nanoantenna and the photonic crystal cavity. The study of plasmons, or coherent excitations of free electrons in a metal, has led to the fabrication of antennas at optical frequencies. In particular, gold bowtie nanoantennas have been shown to concentrate light from the diffraction limit at 800 nm (~300 nm) down to ~20 nm, while also enhancing the local electric field intensity by a factor of 1,000. This huge change in the local field greatly alters the absorption and fluorescence emission of nearby molecules. This thesis will show that the fluorescence from an initially-poor single-molecule emitter can be enhanced by a factor of 1,300, allowing for the measurement of one highly enhanced molecule over a background of 1,000 unenhanced molecules. By extending this experiment to molecules in solution, dynamics of single molecules in concentrated solutions can also be measured. While bowtie nanoantennas act to concentrate light, light does not remain in the structure for long. The photonic crystal cavity can be used to trap and store light, which has interesting implications for molecular emitters located nearby. This thesis will show that molecules can be lithographically positioned onto a photonic crystal cavity and that the molecule's fluorescence emission is coupled to the cavity modes.

Quantum dots as nanomaterials have been extensively investigated in the past several decades from growth to characterization to applications. As the basis of future developments in the field, this book collects a series of state-of-the-art chapters on the current status of quantum dot devices and how these devices take advantage of quantum features. Written by 56 leading experts from 14 countries, the chapters cover numerous quantum dot applications, including lasers, LEDs, detectors, amplifiers, switches, transistors, and solar cells. Quantum Dot Devices is appropriate for researchers of all levels of experience with an interest in epitaxial and/or colloidal quantum dots. It provides the beginner with the necessary overview of this exciting field and those more experienced with a comprehensive reference source.

Quantum Optics and Nanophotonics consists of the lecture notes of the Les Houches Summer School 101 held in August 2013. Some of the most eminent experts in this flourishing area of research have contributed chapters lying at the intersection of basic quantum science and advanced nanotechnology. The book is part of the renowned series of tutorial books that contain the lecture notes of all the Les Houches Summer Schools since the 1950's and cover the latest developments in physics and related fields.

This book highlights the most recent developments in quantum dot spin physics and the generation of deterministic superior non-classical light states with quantum dots. In particular, it addresses single quantum dot spin manipulation, spin-photon entanglement and the generation of single-photon and entangled photon pair states with nearly ideal properties. The role of semiconductor microcavities, nanophotonic interfaces as well as quantum photonic integrated circuits is emphasized. The latest theoretical and experimental studies of phonon-dressed light matter interaction, single-dot lasing and resonance fluorescence in QD cavity systems are also provided. The book is written by the leading experts in the field.

This multidisciplinary book provides up-to-date coverage of carrier and spin dynamics and energy transfer and structural interaction among nanostructures. Coverage also includes current device applications such as quantum dot lasers and detectors, as well as future applications to quantum information processing. The book will serve as a reference for anyone working with or planning to work with quantum dots.

The aim of this thesis consists in the study and modification of complex photonic nano-structures. Nowadays, propagation of light in such materials is a rich and fascinating area of research, both for its fundamental implications and for its practical technological impact. To deeply investigate light propagation inside these structures a high spatial resolution technique is required, especially because intriguing effects often occur on length scales comparable with the diffraction-limit or involve coupling phenomena on this length scale. For this reason in this thesis a Scanning Near-Field Optical Microscope represents one the most straightforward tool both to study and locally modify complex photonic nano-structures from perfect periodic to completely random ones.

Advances in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, Volume 66 provides a comprehensive compilation of recent developments in a field that is in a state of rapid growth. New to this volume are chapters devoted to 2D Coherent Spectroscopy of Electronic Transitions, Nonlinear and Quantum Optical Properties and Applications of Intense Twin-Beams, Non-classical Light Generation from III-V and Group-IV Solid-State Cavity Quantum Systems, Trapping Atoms with Radio Frequency Adiabatic Potentials, Quantum Control of Optomechanical Systems, and Efficient Description of Bose–Einstein Condensates in Time-Dependent Rotating Traps. With timely articles written by distinguished experts that contain relevant review materials and detailed descriptions of important developments in the field, this series is a must have for those interested in the variety of topics covered. - Presents the work of international experts in the field - Contains comprehensive articles that compile recent developments in a field that is experiencing rapid growth, with new experimental and theoretical techniques emerging - Ideal for users interested in optics, excitons, plasmas, and thermodynamics - Topics covered include atmospheric science, astrophysics, surface physics, and laser physics, amongst others