This book features selected papers presented at the 20th International Conference on Near Infrared Spectroscopy. It discusses the latest progress in the field of near infrared spectroscopy from around the globe, including the advances in instrumentation, spectral interpretation and Chemometrics. In addition, it presents potential trends for near infrared spectroscopy in the next decade and highlights developments in process analytical technology, chemical imaging and deep learning. It can be used as a reference book for researchers and application personnel engaged in spectroscopy technology, Chemometrics, analytical instruments, on-site rapid or on-line analysis, process control and other fields. It will also be useful for undergraduates and postgraduates studying these topics.

This thesis focuses on understanding the growth and formation mechanism of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), an issue it addresses by investigating the dense interstellar medium that is assumed to be a crucial component of the fuel for SMBHs. The thesis also offers unique guidance on using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in active galactic nuclei (AGN) research. The author presents the three major findings regarding SMBH formation and growth: (1) The development of a new diagnostic method for the energy sources in galaxies based on submillimeter spectroscopy, which allows identification of accreting SMBHs even in obscured environments, (2) the discovery that the circumnuclear dense gas disk (CND), with a typical size of a few tens of parsecs, which plays a crucial role in governing the growth of SMBHs, and (3) the discovery that the mass transfer budget from the CND to the central SMBHs can be quantitatively understood with a theoretical model incorporating the circumnuclear starburst as a driver of mass transfer. The thesis skillfully reviews these three findings, which have greatly improved our understanding of the growth mechanism of SMBHs.

"Updates fundamentals and applications of all modes of x-ray spectrometry, including total reflection and polarized beam x-ray fluorescence analysis, and synchrotron radiation induced x-ray emission. Promotes the accurate measurement of samples while reducing the scattered background in the x-ray spectrum."

This thesis makes significant advances towards an understanding of superconductivity in the cuprate family of unconventional, high-temperature superconductors. Even though the high-temperature superconductors were discovered over 35 years ago, there is not yet a general consensus on an acceptable theory of superconductivity in these materials. One of the early proposals suggested that collective magnetic excitations of the conduction electrons could lead them to form pairs, which in turn condense to form the superconducting state at a critical temperature Tc. Quantitative calculations of Tc using experimental data were, however, not available to verify the applicability of this magnetic mechanism. In this thesis, the author constructed an angle-resolved photoemission apparatus that could provide sufficiently accurate data of the electronic excitation spectra of samples in the normal state, data which was furthermore unusually devoid of any surface contamination. The author also applied the Bethe-Salpeter method to his uncommonly pristine and precise normal state data, and was able to predict the approximate superconducting transition temperatures of different samples. This rare combination of experiment with sophisticated theoretical calculations leads to the conclusion that antiferromagnetic correlations are a viable candidate for the pairing interaction in the cuprate superconductors.

This textbook presents the principles and methods for the measurement of radioactivity in the environment. In this regard, specific low-level radiation counting and spectrometry or mass spectrometry techniques are discussed, including sources, distribution, levels and dynamics of radioactivity in nature. The author gives an accurate description of the fundamental concepts and laws of radioactivity as well as the different types of detectors and mass spectrometers needed for detection. Special attention is paid to scintillators, semiconductor detectors, and gas ionization detectors. In order to explain radiochemistry, some concepts about chemical separations are introduced as well. The book is meant for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in physics, chemistry or engineering oriented to environmental sciences, and to other disciplines where monitoring of the environment and its management is of great interest.

Recent years have seen an explosion in the volume of work carried out using supersonic jets of molecules following the discovery that the technique could provide information on structure and dynamics of a very high quality otherwise impossible to obtain. Written and edited by a first class team of authors, acknowledged world leaders in their subjects, this book describes applications in detail along with analysis of data recorded and background theory. Physical chemists and chemical physicists will find this unique book an essential concentrated source of information and reference.

Synchrotron radiation is today extensively used for fundamental and applied research in many different fields of science. Its exceptional characteristics in terms of intensity, brilliance, spectral range, time structure and now also coherence pushed many experimental techniques to previously un-reachable limits, enabling the performance of experiments unbelievable only few years ago.

The book gives an up-to-date overview of synchrotron radiation research today with a view to the future, starting from its generation and sources, its interaction with matter, illustrating the main experimental technique employed and provides an overview of the main fields of research in which new and innovative results are obtained.

The book is addressed to PhD students and young researchers to provide both an introductory and a rather deep knowledge of the field. It will also be helpful to experienced researcher who want to approach the field in a professional way.

Addressing the need for an up-to-date reference on silicon devices and heterostructures, Beyond the Desert 99 reviews the technology used to grow and characterize Goup IV alloy films. It covers the theory, device design, and simulation of heterojunction transistors, emphasizing their relevance in developing the technologies involving strained layers; device design and simulation of conventional silicon bipolar transistors and SiGe HBTs at room and low temperatures; and device design and simulation for MOSFETs, including SiGe and strained-Si channel MOSFETs. The book concludes with simulations and examples of different applications. It provides a unified reference for scientists and engineers investigating the use of SiGe and strained silicon in a new generation of high-speed circuit applications.

Application of NMR and Molecular Docking in Structure-Based Drug Discovery, by Jaime L. Stark and Robert Powers NMR as a Unique Tool in Assessment and Complex Determination of Weak Protein-Protein Interactions, by Olga Vinogradova and Jun Qin The Use of Residual Dipolar Coupling in Studying Proteins by NMR, by Kang Chen und Nico Tjandra NMR Studies of Metalloproteins, by Hongyan Li and Hongzhe Sun Recent Developments in 15N NMR Relaxation Studies that Probe Protein Backbone Dynamics, by Rieko Ishima Contemporary Methods in Structure Determination of Membrane Proteins by Solution NMR, by Tabussom Qureshi and Natalie K. Goto Protein Structure Determination by Solid-State NMR, by Xin Zhao Dynamic Nuclear Polarization: New Methodology and Applications, by Kong Hung Sze, Qinglin Wu, Ho Sum Tse and Guang Zhu

This book embraces all physiochemical aspects of the structure and molecular dynamics of water, focusing on its role in biological objects, e.g. living cells and tissue, and in the formation of functionally active structures of biological molecules and their ensembles. Water is the single most abundant chemical found in all living things. It offers a detailed look into the latest modern physical methods for studying the molecular structure and dynamics of the water and provides a critical analysis of the existing literature data on the properties of water in biological objects. Water as a chemical reagent and as a medium for the formation of conditions for enzymatic catalysis is a core focus of this book. Although well suited for active researchers, the book as a whole, as well as each chapter on its own, can be used as fundamental reference material for graduate and undergraduate students throughout chemistry, physics, biophysics and biomedicine.

The objective of this book is to discuss the current status of research and development of boron-rich solids as sensors, ultra-high temperature ceramics, thermoelectrics, and armor. Novel biological and chemical sensors made of stiff and light-weight boron-rich solids are very exciting and efficient for applications in medical diagnoses, environmental surveillance and the detection of pathogen and biological/chemical terrorism agents. Ultra-high temperature ceramic composites exhibit excellent oxidation and corrosion resistance for hypersonic vehicle applications. Boron-rich solids are also promising candidates for high-temperature thermoelectric conversion. Armor is another very important application of boron-rich solids, since most of them exhibit very high hardness, which makes them perfect candidates with high resistance to ballistic impact. The following topical areas are presented: *Boron-rich solids: science and technology *Synthesis and sintering strategies of boron rich solids *Microcantilever sensors *Screening of the possible boron-based thermoelectric conversion materials; *Ultra-high temperature ZrB2 and HfB2 based composites *Magnetic, transport and high-pressure properties of boron-rich solids *Restrictions of the sensor dimensions for chemical detection *Armor

The 37th Annual Denver Conference on Applications of X-Ray Analysis was held August 1-5, 1988, at the Sheraton Steamboat Resort and Conference Center, Steamboat Springs, Colorado. As usual, alternating with x-ray diffraction, the emphasis this year was x-ray fluorescence, but as has been the pattern for several occasions over the last few years, the Plenary Session did not deal with that subject, specifically. In an attempt to introduce the audience to one of the new developments in x-ray analysis, the title of the session was "High Brilliance Sources/Applications," and dealt exclusively with synchrotron radiation, a topic which has made a very large impact on the x-ray community over the last decade. As the organizer and co-chairman of the Plenary Session (with Paul Predecki), it is my responsibility to report on that session here. The Conference had the privilege of obtaining the services of some of the preeminent practitioners of research using this remarkable x-ray source; they presented the audience with unusually lucid descriptions of the work which has been accomplished in the development and application of the continuous, high intensity, tunable, polarized and collimated x-rays available from no facility other than these specialized storage rings. The opening lecture (and I use that term intentionally) was an enthusiastic description of "What is Synchrotron Radiation?" by Professor Boris Batterman of Cornell University and the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Sourc(! (CHESS).

Martin Stein's thesis describes a novel methodology for natural product discovery. Due to its high degree of reproducibility, robustness and sensitivity, the technique can be utilized to detect even trace amounts of bioactive substances in heterogeneous matrices such as fermentation broths or crude organic extracts. This research is thus relevant for a large number of researchers working in natural product discovery. Applications of this novel NMR-based approach include suitable environmental triggers for the induction of biosynthetic machineries. The author demonstrates the extraordinary value of this approach by the successful isolation of two potent inhibitors of the pharmaceutically relevant proteasome core particle from the insect pathogen photorhabdus luminescens. This thesis has led to a number of publications in high-impact journals.

In this book new methods of study of the linear and nonlinear optical properties of thin films are presented. These techniques are based on the principles of the spatial Fourier spectroscopy of the light beam reflected from a prism-coupling device with the tunnel excitation of guided lightmodes in thin-film structures. Measurement techniques of determination of the absorption coefficient, refractive index and thickness of the dielectric, semiconductor or metallic films are considered.
This book is highly recommended for specialists in the fields of integrated and thin film optics and for graduated students in related specialties.
. There are new techniques of measurement of thin-film parameters stated

This book highlights the theories and applications of quantum acoustical imaging which can be considered as a part of quantum technology. It starts with the theories and background principles of this new field in depth.The examples of some present forms of available acoustical imaging which can be considered as quantum acoustical imaging are given such as ultrasonics in the terahertz range with the use of optical transducers for producing terahertz ultrasound and the theory of sound amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (SASER) and principles based on terahertz ultrasound. The SASER transducer is described, followed by the applications of SASER.Other examples of quantum acoustical imaging are the atomic force acoustic microscope (AFAM) and the ultrasonic force microscope. The author's personal inventions of quantum acoustical imaging are a system based on phonons entanglement based on the quantum property of phonons entanglement and the quantum ultrasound diffraction tomography system.The advantage of quantum acoustical imaging is the defeat of the classical Rayleigh image resolution limit. An unique feature of this book is that it has gone in depth into the quantum theories of acoustical imaging such as phonons entanglement,,superposition principle and the application of transport theory.Quantum microphones and quantum transducers are also introduced with a final chapter on quantum image processing.

This first book on high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) is intended for students and biologists who want to use HS-AFM in their research. It provides straightforward explanations of the principle and techniques of AFM and HS-AFM. Numerous examples of HS-AFM studies on proteins demonstrate how to apply this new form of microscopy to specific biological problems. Several precautions for successful imaging and the preparation of cantilever tips and substrate surfaces will greatly benefit first-time users of HS-AFM. In turn, the instrumentation techniques detailed in Chapter 4 can be skipped, but will be useful for engineers and scientists who want to develop the next generation of high-speed scanning probe microscopes for biology. The book is intended to facilitate the first-time use of this new technique, and to inspire students and researchers to tackle their own specific biological problems by directly observing dynamic events occurring in the nanoscopic world. Microscopy in biology has recently entered a new era with the advent of high-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM). Unlike optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and conventional slow AFM, it allows us to directly observe biological molecules in physiological environments. Molecular "movies" created using HS-AFM can directly reveal how molecules behave and operate, without the need for subsequent complex analyses and roundabout interpretations. It also allows us to directly monitor morphological change in live cells, and dynamic molecular events occurring on the surfaces of living bacteria and intracellular organelles. As HS-AFM instruments were recently commercialized, in the near future HS-AFM is expected to become a common tool in biology, and will enhance and accelerate our understanding of biological phenomena.

This thesis presents results from a combined atomic-resolution Z-contrast and annular bright-field imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy in the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, as well as first principles studies of the interfaces between crystalline " "" "Si3N4 and amorphous (i) CeO2-x as well as (ii) SiO2 intergranular film (IGF). These interfaces are of a great fundamental and technological interest because they play an important role in the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Si3N4 ceramics used in many high temperature and pressure applications. The main contribution of this work is its detailed description of the bonding characteristics of "light" atoms, in particular oxygen and nitrogen, at these interfaces, which has not been achieved before. The atomic-scale information on the arrangement of both light and heavy atoms is critical for realistic modeling of interface properties, such as interface strength and ion transport, and will facilitate increased control over the performance of ceramic and semiconductor materials for a wide-range of applications."

This is the second volume of textbooks on atomic, molecular and optical physics, aiming at a comprehensive presentation of this highly productive branch of modern physics as an indispensable basis for many areas in physics and chemistry as well as in state of the art bio- and material-sciences. It primarily addresses advanced students (including PhD students), but in a number of selected subject areas the reader is lead up to the frontiers of present research. Thus even the active scientist is addressed. This volume 2 introduces lasers and quantum optics, while the main focus is on the structure of molecules and their spectroscopy, as well as on collision physics as the continuum counterpart to bound molecular states. The emphasis is always on the experiment and its interpretation, while the necessary theory is introduced from this perspective in a compact and occasionally somewhat heuristic manner, easy to follow even for beginners.

This book details groundbreaking experiments for the sensing and imaging of terahertz-frequency electromagnetic radiation (THz) using Rydberg atoms. The major advances described include the development and implementation of a new technique for THz imaging using atomic fluorescence; the demonstration of a THz-driven phase transition in room-temperature atomic vapour; and a novel method for probing the excited-state dynamics of atoms using quantum beats. The work has formed the basis for several articles published in journals including Nature Photonics and the Physical Review, and has sparked industry interest, becoming the subject of ongoing collaborative research and development. This exceptionally well-written book provides a definitive account of terahertz sensing with Rydberg atoms.

This work represents a sound introduction to the fundamental principles of infrared microspectroscopy (IMS). It describes how IMS is used to solve specific microanalytical problems in a variety of disciplines, including forensic analysis, art conservation, and geological, pharmaceutical and electronics research. The book discusses when and how to use special techniques such as line scanning, 3-dimensional imaging and attenuated total reflection and grazing-angle spectroscopy.

The rapid growth of the subject since the first edition ten years ago has made it necessary to rewrite the greater part of the book. Except for the introductory portion and the section on Mott scattering, the book has been completely revised. In Chap. 3, sections on polarization violating reflection symmetry, on resonance scattering, and on inelastic processes have been added. Chapter 4 has been rewritten, taking account of the numerous novel results obtained in exchange scattering. Chapter 5 includes the recent discoveries on photoelectron polarization produced by unpolarized radiation with unpolarized targets and on Auger-electron polarization. In Chap. 6, a further discussion of relativistic polarization phenomena has been added to the book. The immense growth of polarization studies with solids and surfaces required an extension and new presentation of Chap. 7. All but one section of Chap. 8 has been rewritten and a detailed treatment of polarization analysis has been included. Again, a nearly comprehensive treatment has been attempted. Even so, substantial selectivity among the wide range of available material has been essential in order to accomplish a compact presentation. The reference list, selected along the same lines as in the first edition, is meant to lead the reader through the literature giving a guide for finding further references. I want to express my indebtedness to a number of people whose help has been invaluable.

This is the first ever comprehensive treatment of NEXAFS spectroscopy. It is suitable for novice researchers as an introduction to the field, while experts will welcome the detailed description of state-of-the-art instrumentation and analysis techniques, along with the latest experimental and theoretical results.

This updated volume provides stepwise instructions for the analysis of numerous clinically important analytes by mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry offers clinical laboratory scientists a number of advantages including increased sensitivity and specificity, multiple component analysis, and limited need for specialized reagents. These techniques are essential in laboratory fields including endocrinology, biochemical genetics, drug analysis, proteomics, and pathogen identification. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and practical, Clinical Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Biomolecular Analysis: Methods and Protocols, Second Edition is an ideal resource for clinical laboratory scientists who are already using or thinking of bringing mass spectrometry to their laboratories.

This classic textbook is an introduction to the systematics and the use of stable isotopes in geosciences. It is subdivided into three parts: i) theoretical and experimental principles, ii) fractionation processes of light and heavy elements, iii) the natural variations of geologically important reservoirs. Since the publication of the previous edition improvements in multi-collector ICP mass-spectrometry have increased the ability to measure isotope ratios with very high precision for many elements of the periodic table. The amount of published data has increased tremendously in the last years; thus, conclusions based on a limited database are now better constrained. In this new edition, therefore, 47 elements with resolvable natural variations in isotope composition are discussed. This increase of elements, together with advances in the calculation of equilibrium isotope fractionation using ab initio methods, has led to an unbelievable rise of publications, making substantial major revisions and extensions of the last edition necessary. Many new references have been added, which enable quick access to recent literature.