Mathematical Methods in Nanophotonics
MIT OpenCourseWare offers this advanced survey of nanophotonics, the study of electromagnetic waves in media structured at the scale of their wavelength. The course applies computational methods and algebraic techniques borrowed from solid-state quantum mechanics, including linear algebra and eigensystems, group theory, Bloch's theorem and conservation laws, perturbation methods, and coupled-mode theory. These tools are used to explain phenomena such as photonic band gaps, slow light, and nonlinear optical filters. The materials update an earlier MIT course, 18.325 Topics in Applied Mathematics: Mathematical Methods in Nanophotonics, and include lecture notes and problem sets covering the mathematical and physical foundations of the field. It is aimed at students who already have a background in electromagnetism and want to see how solid-state physics techniques have reshaped the subject over the past two decades. No certificate is offered, but all course materials are freely downloadable.