Foreward
This special issue of Nonlinear Optics, Quantum Optics journal contains selected papers presented at the International Workshop on Nano and Bio-Photonics held in Domaine de Francon, Biarritz, France 3-8 November 2013 (IWNBP’2) (http://iwnbp2013.sciencesconf.org/) and is dedicated to Francois Kajzar on the occasion of his 70th anniversary, similarly as was dedicated the workshop. It consists of papers submitted by the workshop participants and some papers dedicated by his friends which were absent and which wanted to contribute too in sign of their friendship.
The IWNBP series of workshops, initiated by Chantal Andraud, Fabrice Charra, Francois Kajzar and Ileana Rau, started in 2011 with the successful meeting in “Domaine des Hautannes” at Saint Germain au Mont d’Or (Beaujolais, France) October 23-28, 2011. The present one was held in Domaine Francon, Biarritz, second French capital during the 2nd Empire. It consisted of keynote lectures, invited talks and shorter oral contribution describing the most recent achievements in the field of organic photonics, biophotonics and biotronics.
The workshop covered multidisciplinary topics in optics, chemistry, physics, and materials sciences for photonic device applications with original optical, electronic, electrochromic, photochromic, photoluminescent or electroluminescent properties. The design and properties (from synthesis to characterization, computational modeling, device fabrication) of novel, engineered materials with potential for applications in nanophotonics or biophotonics was of special interest. It became to be an excellent forum for the state of art presentations by invited speakers, leading specialists in its field. An important amount of time is devoted to discussions. This is facilitated by the fact that the conference participants are lodged at the same site and the contacts between them are greatly facilitated favourizing discussions and facilitating starting of scientific collaborations. As it was done at the previous meeting an excursion to Spain was organized with a visit of Basque countries (in France and in Spain) and testing of culinary specialities in San Sebastian; the city known also in basque as Donostia. Commonly Donostia is considered as European capital of culinary performances.
During the meeting, a celebration of François Kajzar’s 70th birthday was organized with a dance show by local performers, including Flamenco in the program.
We would like to acknowledge the financial support of Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS-Lyon), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Also we would like to thank the Advisory Committee for help in its organisation by advice in selecting invited speakers and contributing papers. Our thanks are also due to the staff of Domaine Francon for help in social program organization and assuring of logistics as well as for creating a friendly atmosphere.
The next workshop (IWNBP’3) will be organized in Cabourg, a beautiful sea resort on Normandy Channel coast, close to the D Day allies landing in WWII area and not far from the beautiful, considered as one of the World wonders, Mont St Michel site, on the limit of Brittany with Normandy.
The workshop will be held in September 2015.
Workshop Chairs:
Chantal Andraud, Ecole Noormale Superieure, Lyon, France
Ileana Rau, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Romania
Lyon – Bucarest, January 2015
We wish to thank the Air Force Research Laboratory for sponsor, under agreement number FA2386-13-1-0004. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Governmental purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation thereon.