Resonant nanophotonics : structural slow light and slow plasmons

L'augmentation de l'interaction lumière-matière aux échelles micro et nanométriques est un des fers de lance de la nanophotonique. En effet, le contrôle de la répartition spatiale de la lumière grâce à l'interaction résonante entre nanostructures et ondes électromagnétiques a conduit aux développements de nombreuses applications dans des domaines variés tels que les télécommunications,la spectroscopie et la détection d'objets. Le ralentissement de la lumière, sujet de la thèse, obtenue grâces à l'interférence d'ondes contre-propageantes dans des milieux périodiques ou le confinement sub-longueur d'onde dans des guides d'ondes plasmoniques, est associé à une compression des pulses lumineux et une forte augmentation du champ électrique, deux phénomènes clés pour la miniaturisation de composées optiques et l'augmentation de l'interaction lumière matière.Enhancing light-matter interactions at micro and nanoscales is one of the spearheads of nanophotonics. Indeed, the control of the field distribution due to the resonant interaction of nanostructures with electromagnetic waves has prompted the development of numerous optical components for many applications in telecommunication, spectroscopy or sensing. A promising approach lies in the control of light speed in nanostructures. Light slowdown, obtained by wave interferences in periodic structures or subwavelength confinement in plasmonic waveguides, is associated to pulse compressions and large field enhancements,which are envisioned as key processes for the miniaturization of optical devices and the enhancement of light-matter interactions.The thesis studies both fundamental aspects and possible applications related to slow light in photonic and plasmonic nanostructures. In particular, we study the impact of periodic system sizes on the group velocity reduction and propose a novelfamily of resonators that implement slow light on very small spatial scales. We then investigate the role of fabrication disorder in slow periodic waveguides on light localization and demonstrate how modal properties influence the confinement of localized modes. Also we propose a new hollow-core photonic crystal waveguide that provides efficient and remote couplings between the waveguide and atoms thatare trapped away from it. Finally we demonstrate the important role played by slow plasmons on the emission of quantum emitters placed in nanogap plasmonic antennas and explain how large radiation efficiency can be achieved by overcoming quenching in the metal. Additionally, one part of the thesis is devoted to thederivation of a novel modal method to accurately describe the dynamics of plasmonic resonators under short pulse illumination