The main objective of this book is to cover the basic understanding of thermal conduction mechanisms in various high thermal conductivity materials including diamond, cubic boron nitride, and also the latest material like carbon nanotubes.

The book is intended as a good reference book for scientists and engineers involved in addressing thermal management issues in a broad spectrum of industries.

Leading researchers from industry and academic institutions who are well known in their areas of expertise have contributed a chapter in the field of their interest.

As concerns with the efficient use of energy resources, and the minimization of environmental damage have come to the fore, there has been a renewed interest in the role that thermoelectric devices could play in generating electricity from waste heat, enabling cooling via refrigerators with no moving parts, and many other more specialized applications. The main problem in realizing this ambition is the rather low efficiency of such devices for general applications. This book deals with the proceedings of a workshop addressed that problems by reviewing the latest experimental and theoretical work on suitable materials for device applications and by exploring various strategies that might increase their efficiency.

The proceedings cover a broad range of approaches, from the experimental work of fabricating new compounds through to theoretical work in characterizing and understanding their properties. The effects of strong electron correlation, disorder, the proximity to metal-insulator transitions, the properties of layered composite materials, and the introduction of voids or cages into the structure to reduce the lattice thermal conductivity are all explored as ways of enhancing the efficiency of their use in thermoelectric devices.

1 C.-M. Chan, L. Li: Direct Observation of the Growth of Lamellae and Spherulites by AFM.- C. Grein: Toughness of Neat, Rubber Modified and Filled beta-Nucleated Polypropylene: From Fundamentals to Applications.- 3 V. Altstadt: The Influence of Molecular Variables on Fatigue Resistance in Stress Cracking Environment.- 4 A. Chateauminois, M.C. Baietto-Dubourg: Fracture of Glassy Polymers Within Sliding Contacts.- 5 R. Estevez, E. van der Giessen: Modeling and Computational Analysis of Fracture of Glassy Polymers.-

1 N. Hadjichristidis, M. Pitsikalis, H. Iatrou: Synthesis of Block Copolymers.- 2 V. Abetz: Phase Behaviour and Morphologies of Block Copolymers.-

This book compares and offers a comprehensive overview of nine analytical techniques important in material science and many other branches of science. All these methods are already well adapted to applications in diverse fields such as medical, environmental studies, archaeology, and materials science. This clearly presented reference describes and compares the principles of the methods and the various source and detector types.

The 14th International Symposium on Analytical Ultracentrifugation was held in March 2005 at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland. This book presents a comprehensive collection of 21 contributions from leading scientists in this field covering a broad spectrum of topics and presenting recent progress concerning instrumentation, data analysis and modeling, biological systems, particles, colloids, synthetic macromolecules, interacting systems.

Analytical Ultracentrifugation is becoming increasingly important in both academic and industrial applications. Due to the versatility of this fascinating and powerful technique, information and original publications are widespread and comprehensive collections are rare. Therefore, this volume presents a valuable source for biologists, chemists, materials scientists, and physicists interested in most recent information, results and development related to this important analytical method.

"

The Physics of Polymers presents the elements of this important segment of material science, focusing on concepts above experimental techniques and theoretical methods. Written for graduate students of physics, material science and chemical engineering and for researchers working with polymers in academia and industry, the book introduces and discusses the basic phenomena which lead to the peculiar physical properties of polymeric systems. The revised and expanded Third Edition includes a new chapter dealing with conjugated polymers, explaining the physical basis of the characteristic electro-optic response, and the spectacular electrical conduction properties of conjugated polymers created by doping.

1. Introduction.- 2. Neutron Scattering and Neutron Spin Echo.- 3. Large Scale Dynamics of Homopolymers.

Drop a pebble in a pond and the results are predictable: circular waves flow from the point of impact. Hit a point on a crystalline solid, however, and the expanding waves are highly nonspherical; the elasticity of a crystal is anisotropic. This book provides a fresh look at the vibrational properties of crystalline solids, elucidated by new imaging techniques. From the megahertz vibrations of ultrasound to the near-terahertz vibrations associated with heat, the underlying elastic anisotropy of the crystal asserts itself. Phonons are elementary vibrations that affect many properties of solids--thermal, electrical, and magnetic. This text covers the basic theory and experimental observations of phonon propagation in solids. Phonon imaging techniques provide physical insights into such topics as phonon focusing, lattice dynamics, and ultrasound propagation. Scattering of phonons from interfaces, superlattices, defects, and electrons are treated in detail. The book includes many striking and original illustrations.

The recent dramatic increase in computational power available for mathematical modeling and simulation promotes the significant role of modern numerical methods in the analysis of heterogeneous microstructures. In its second corrected printing, this book presents a comprehensive introduction to computational micromechanics, including basic homogenization theory, microstructural optimization and multifield analysis of heterogeneous materials. a oeAn Introduction to Computational Micromechanicsa is valuable for researchers, engineers and for use in a first year graduate course for students in the applied sciences, mechanics and mathematics with an interest in the computational micromechanical analysis of new materials.

"Brownian Motion Calculus" presents the basics of Stochastic Calculus with a focus on the valuation of financial derivatives. It is intended as an accessible introduction to the technical literature. A clear distinction has been made between the mathematics that is convenient for a first introduction, and the more rigorous underpinnings which are best studied from the selected technical references. The inclusion of fully worked out exercises makes the book attractive for self study. Standard probability theory and ordinary calculus are the prerequisites. Summary slides for revision and teaching can be found on the book website.

Physical Acoustics in the Solid State reviews the modern aspects in the field, including many experimental results, especially those involving ultrasonics. It covers practically all fields of solid-state physics. After a review of the relevant experimental techniques and an introduction to the theory of elasticity, the book details applications in the various fields of condensed matter physics.

Granular matter displays a variety of peculiarities that distinguish it from other appearances studied in condensed matter physics and renders its overall mathematical modelling somewhat arduous. Prominent directions in the modelling granular flows are analyzed from various points of view. Foundational issues, numerical schemes and experimental results are discussed. The volume furnishes a rather complete overview of the current research trends in the mechanics of granular matter. Various chapters introduce the reader to different points of view and related techniques. New models describing granular bodies as complex bodies are presented. Results on the analysis of the inelastic Boltzmann equations are collected in different chapters. Gallavotti-Cohen symmetry is also discussed.

This book lays out a vision for a coherent framework for understanding complex systems. By developing the genuine idea of Brownian agents, the author combines concepts from informatics, such as multiagent systems, with approaches of statistical many-particle physics. It demonstrates that Brownian agent models can be successfully applied in many different contexts, ranging from physicochemical pattern formation to swarming in biological systems.

The problem of determining the location of an object (usually called ranging) attracts at present much attention in different areas of applications, among them in ecological and safety devices. Electromagnetic waves along with sound waves are widely used for these purposes. Different aspects of materials with specific magnetic, electric and elastic properties are considered in view of potential application in the design and manufacturing of smart materials. Progress is reported in the fabrication and understanding of in-situ formation and characterization of solid state structures with specified properties. Attention is paid to the observation and study of the mobility of magnetic structures and of the kinetics of magnetic ordering transitions. Looking from a different perspective, one of the outcomes of the ARW is the emphasis on the important role that collective phenomena (like spin waves in systems with a magnetically ordered ground state, or critical currents in superconductors) could play at the design of magnetic-field sensitive sensor materials.

This textbook contains information essential for successful experiments at low temperatures. The first chapters describe the low-temperature properties of liquids and solid matter, including liquid helium. Most of the book is devoted to refrigeration techniques and the physics on which they rely, the definition of temperature, thermometry, and a variety of design and construction techniques. The lively and practical style make it easy to read and particularly useful to anyone beginning research in low-temperature physics. Low-temperature scientists will find it of great value due to its extensive compilation of materials data and relevant new results.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 2004 University of Miami Workshop on Unconventional Superconductivity. The workshop was the fourth in a series of successful meetings on High-T Superconductivity and C related topics, which took place at the James L. Knight Physics Building on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables, Florida, in January 1991, 1995, 1999, and 2004. The workshop consisted of two consecutive events: 1. NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on New Challenges in Superconductivity: Experimental Advances and Emerging Theories, held on January 11-14, 2004; 2. Symposium on Emerging Mechanisms for High Temperature Superconductivity (SEMHTS), held on January 15-16, 2004. It is hard to write a balanced preface to a volume like this one, yet at least we try to offer the reader a taste of what was happening in this workshop. There were close to a hundred scientists from around the world, albeit fewer Russians than we had originally hoped for. Nevertheless, the workshop was very lively and we trust that this is demonstrated in this volume. The workshop included high-quality presentations on state of the art works, yet a key issue, discussed by many, was how homogeneous the cuprates are. STM data, as well as other reports, showed that the cuprate superconductors (SC's) studied were inhomogeneous, especially in the underdoped regime; while experiments, like ARPES and magnetoresistance have established the existence of a Fermi Surface (FS), at least above some doping level, in the cuprates.

Fuel Cells have become a potentially highly efficient sustainable source of energy and electricity for an ever-demanding power hungry world. The two main types of fuel cells ripe for commercialisation are the high temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and the low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEM). The commercial uses of which include, but are not limited to, military, stand-by power, commercial and industrial, and remoter power. However, all aspects of the electricity market are being considered.

This book has brought together a team of world-renowned experts in all aspects of fuel cell development for both SOFC and PEM in a workshop environment. The workshop held between June 6-10, 2004 was held in the capital city of the Ukraine, Kiev. The reason for the venue was that Ukraine is the third largest resource of zircon sands, a major source of material for the solid oxide fuel cell. Ukraine is looking at undertaking a very large effort in the solid oxide fuel cell arena, and hopes, one day, to be an international player in this market, and this book is an outcome from the workshop. The book focuses on the issues related to fuel cells, particularly the state-of-the-art internationally, the issues that were of particular interest for getting fuel cells fully commercialized, and advances in fuel cell materials and technology. The focus was on all types of fuel cells, but the emphasis was particularly on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), due to their importance to the host country. The book is an essential reference to researchers, academics and industrialists interested in up-to-date information on SOFC and PEM development.

X-Ray fluorescence analysis is an established technique for non-destructive elemental materials analysis. This book gives a user-oriented practical guidance to the application of this method. The book gives a survey of the theoretical fundamentals, analytical instrumentation, software for data processing, various excitation regimes including gracing incidents and microfocus measurements, quantitative analysis, applications in routine and micro analysis, mineralogy, biology, medicine, criminal investigations, archeology, metallurgy, abrasion, microelectronics, environmental air and water analysis. This book is the bible of X-Ray fluorescence analysis. It gives the basic knowledge on this technique, information on analytical equipment and guides the reader to the various applications. It appeals to researchers, analytically active engineers and advanced students.

The principal aim of this NATO Advanced Study Institute (ASI) "Nanostructured and Advanced Materials for Applications in Sensor, Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Technology" was to present a contemporary overview of the field of nanostructured and advanced electronic materials. Nanotechnology is an emerging scientific field receiving significant worldwide attention. On a nanometer scale, materials or structures may possess new and unique physical properties. Some of these are now known to the scientific community, but there may well be many properties not yet known to us, rendering it as a fascinating area of research and a suitable subject for a NATO ASI. Yet another aspect of the field is the possibility for creating meta-stable phases with unconventional properties and the ultra-miniaturization of current devices, sensors, and machines. Such nanotechnological and related advanced materials have an extremely wide range of potential applications, viz. nanoscale electronics, sensors, optoelectronics, photonics, nano-biological systems, na- medicine, energy storage systems, etc. This is a wide-ranging subject area and therefore requires the formation of multi-disciplinary teams of physicists, chemists, materials scientists, engineers, molecular biologists, pharmacologists, and others to work together on the synthesis and processing of materials and structures, the understanding of their physical properties, the design and fabrication of devices, etc. Hence, in formulating our ASI, we adopted an int- disciplinary approach, bringing together recognised experts in the various fields while retaining a level of treatment accessible to those active in specific individual areas of research and development.

This completely revised edition features new sections on glass-ceramic applications and their performance, CDC-grinding, and laser gyroscopes containing Zerodur(r)., providing an overview of Schott's activities for scientists, engineers, and managers.

This book contains a unique survey of the mathematically rigorous results about the quantum-mechanical many-body problem that have been obtained by the authors in the past seven years. It is a topic that is not only rich mathematically, using a large variety of techniques in mathematical analysis, but it is also one with strong ties to current experiments on ultra-cold Bose gases and Bose-Einstein condensation. It is an active subject of ongoing research, and this book provides a pedagogical entry into the field for graduate students and researchers. It is an outgrowth of a course given by the authors for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers at the Oberwolfach Research Institute in 2004. The book also provides a coherent summary of the field and a reference for mathematicians and physicists active in research on quantum mechanics.

The morphology that results during the growth of a material on the substrate of a different material is central to the fabrication of all quantum heterostructures. This morphology is determined by several factors, including the manner in which strain is accommodated if the materials have different lattice constants. One of the most topical manifestations of lattice mis't is the formation of coherent thr- dimensional(3D)islandsduringtheStranski-Krastanovgrowthofahighly-strained system. The prototypical cases are InAs on GaAs(001) and Ge on Si(001), though other materials combinations also exhibit this phenomenon. When the 3D islands are embedded within epitaxiallayers of a material that has a wider band gap, the carriers within the islands are con?ned by the potential barriers that surround each island, forming an array of quantum dots (QDs). Such structures have been produced for both basic physics studies and device fab- cation, including QD lasers and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operating at the c- mercially important wavelengths of 1.3 u m and 1.55 u m. On a more speculative level, QD ensembles have been suggested as a possible pathway for the solid-state implementation of a quantum computer. Although some of the principles of qu- tum computing have been veri?ed by other means, the practical utilization of this new computingparadigmmay warrant some sort of solid state architecture. QDs are seen as possible components of such a computer, as evidenced by a number of papersappearingintheliteratureproposingQD-basedarchitecturesandworkshops that are being organized to explore these possibilities."

As the characteristic dimensions of electronic devices continue to shrink, the ability to characterize their electronic properties at the nanometer scale has come to be of outstanding importance. In this sense, Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is becoming an indispensable tool, playing a key role in nanoscience and nanotechnology. SPM is opening new opportunities to measure semiconductor electronic properties with unprecedented spatial resolution. SPM is being successfully applied for nanoscale characterization of ferroelectric thin films. In the area of functional molecular materials it is being used as a probe to contact molecular structures in order to characterize their electrical properties, as a manipulator to assemble nanoparticles and nanotubes into simple devices, and as a tool to pattern molecular nanostructures. This book provides in-depth information on new and emerging applications of SPM to the field of materials science, namely in the areas of characterisation, device application and nanofabrication of functional materials. Starting with the general properties of functional materials the authors present an updated overview of the fundamentals of Scanning Probe Techniques and the application of SPM techniques to the characterization of specified functional materials such as piezoelectric and ferroelectric and to the fabrication of some nano electronic devices. Its uniqueness is in the combination of the fundamental nanoscale research with the progress in fabrication of realistic nanodevices. By bringing together the contribution of leading researchers from the materials science and SPM communities, relevant information is conveyed that allows researchers to learn more about the actual developments in SPM applied to functional materials. This book will contribute to the continuous education and development in the field of nanotechnology.

Liquid crystals, polymers and polymer liquid crystals are soft condensed matter systems of major technological and scientific interest. An understanding of the macroscopic properties of these complex systems and of their many and interesting peculiarities at the molecular level can nowadays only be attained using computer simulations and statistical mechanical theories. Both in the Liquid Crystal and Polymer fields a considerable amount of simulation work has been done in the last few years with various classes of models at different special resolutions, ranging from atomistic to molecular and coarse-grained lattice models. Each of the two fields has developed its own set of tools and specialized procedures and the book aims to provide a state of the art review of the computer simulation studies of polymers and liquid crystals. This is of great importance in view of a potential cross-fertilization between these connected areas which is particularly apparent for a number of experimental systems like, e.g. polymer liquid crystals and anisotropic gels where the different fields necessarily merge. An effort has been made to assess the possibilities of a coherent description of the themes that have developed independently, and to compare and extend the theoretical and computational techniques put forward in the different areas.