Optics at the nanoscale: hydrodynamic approach

The last few years have witnessed significant development in the study of linear and nonlinear optical properties of materials at the nanoscale. This includes metals, semiconductors, conductive oxides, and more recently, time varying media. More often than not, experimental results are reported without the benefit of rigorous theoretical models. I will present a basic hydrodynamic-Maxwell approach that can be used to take into account and simulate all relevant light-matter interactions, depending on the circumstances. For example, simulations in the time domain can simultaneously account for surface and magnetic nonlinearities, linear and nonlinear nonlocal effects and material dispersions beyond the third order, and a phase locking mechanism that makes high harmonic generation possible for semiconductors like silicon deep in the UV range.