In the never-ending quest for miniaturization, optically controlled particle trapping has opened up new possibilities for handling microscopic matter non-invasively. This thesis presents the application of photorefractive crystals as active substrate materials for optoelectronic tweezers. In these tweezers, flexible optical patterns are transformed into electrical forces by a photoconductive material, making it possible to handle matter with very high forces and high throughput. Potential substrate materials' properties are investigated and ways to tune their figures-of-merit are demonstrated. A large part of the thesis is devoted to potential applications in the field of optofluidics, where photorefractive optoelectronic tweezers are used to trap, sort and guide droplets or particles in microfluidic channels, or to shape liquid polymers into optical elements prior to their solidification. Furthermore, a new surface discharge model is employed to discuss the experimental conditions needed for photorefractive optoelectronic tweezers.

The wide range of possibilities as well as the increasing importance of nanomaterials in medicine has become apparent in today's world. This book unites the multi-faceted work of international scientists from the domains of physics, chemistry, and biomedicine, as they cooperate to present the role and application of such nanomaterials in modern medicine with particular emphasis on cell growth, manipulation, and modification. Not only does this book provide the reader with the necessary theoretical background information, it also gives valuable experimental data, thus allowing for an exact comprehension and observation of the relevance of this modern technology which will be encountered more and more frequently in future biomedicine.

This thesis focuses on chalcogenide compound quantum dots with special crystal structures and behaviors in an effort to achieve the synergistic optimization of electrical and thermal transport for high-efficiency thermoelectric materials. The controllability and large-scale synthesis of chalcogenide quantum dots are realized through simple colloid synthesis, and the synergistic optimization of the materials' electrical and thermal transport properties is successfully achieved. Furthermore, the book explores the mechanism involved in the integration of high thermoelectric performance and reversible p-n semiconducting switching in bimetal chalcogenide semiconductors. As such, the thesis will be of interest to university researchers and graduate students in the materials science, chemistry and physics.

This book presents the state of the art in nonlinear nanostructures for ultrafast laser applications. Most recent results in two emerging fields are presented: (i) generation of laser-induced nanostructures in materials like metals, metal oxides and semiconductors, and (ii) ultrafast excitation and energy transfer in nanoscale physical, chemical and hybrid systems. Particular emphasis is laid on the up-to-date controversially discussed mechanisms of sub-wavelength ripple formation including models of self-organized material transport and multiphoton excitation channels, nonlinear optics of plasmonic structures (nanotips, nanowires, 3D-metamaterials), and energy localization and transport on ultrafast time scale and spatial nanoscale. High-resolution spectroscopy, simulation and characterization techniques are reported. New applications of ultrashort-pulsed lasers for materials processing and the use of nanostructured materials for characterizing laser fields and laser-matter-interactions are discussed.

This book is a snapshot of the current state of the art of research and development on the properties and characteristics of silk and their use in medicine and industry. The field encompasses backyard silk production from ancient time to industrial methods in the modern era and includes an example of efforts to maintain silk production on Madagascar. Once revered as worth its weight in gold, silk has captured the imagination from its mythical origins onwards. The latest methods in molecular biology have opened new descriptions of the underlying properties of silk. Advances in technological innovation have created silk production by microbes as the latest breakthrough in the saga of silk research and development. The application of silk to biomaterials is now very active on the basis of excellent properties of silks including recombinant silks for biomaterials and the accumulated structural information.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of nanoscale electronics and systems packaging, and covers nanoscale structures, nanoelectronics packaging, nanowire applications in packaging, and offers a roadmap for future trends. Composite materials are studied for high-k dielectrics, resistors and inductors, electrically conductive adhesives, conductive "inks," underfill fillers, and solder enhancement. The book is intended for industrial and academic researchers, industrial electronics packaging engineers who need to keep abreast of progress in their field, and others with interests in nanotechnology. It surveys the application of nanotechnologies to electronics packaging, as represented by current research across the field.

This thesis focuses on the electrochemical synthesis of multi-segmented nanowires. In contrast to previous work, which was largely limited to one-dimensional modifications, Tuncay Ozel presents a technique, termed coaxial Lithography (COAL), which allows for the synthesis of coaxial nanowires in a parallel fashion with sub-10 nanometer resolution in both the axial and radial dimensions. This work has significantly expanded current synthetic capabilities with respect to materials generality and the ability to tailor two-dimensional growth in the formation of core-shell structures. These developments have enabled fundamental and applied studies which were not previously possible. The COAL technique will increase the capabilities of many researchers who are interested in studying light-matter interactions, nanoparticle assembly, solution-dispersible nanoparticles and labels, semiconductor device physics and nanowire biomimetic probe preparation. The methodology and results presented in this thesis appeal to researchers in nanomaterial synthesis, plasmonics, biology, photovoltaics, and photocatalysis.

This book contains a selection of lectures from the first Summer School organized by the Center for Functional nanostructures (CFN) at the University of Karlsruhe. The mission of the CFN is to carry out research in the following areas: nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, molecular nanostructures and nanostructured materials. The aim of the summer schools is mainly to exchange new ideas and illustrate emerging research methodologies through a series of lectures. This is reflected by both the selection of topics addressed in the present volume as well as the tutorial aspect of the contributions.

The thesis by Merce Pacios exploits properties of carbon nanotubes to design novel nanodevices. The prominent electrochemical properties of carbon nanotubes are used to design diverse electrode configurations. In combination with the chemical properties and (bio)functionalization versatility, these materials prove to be very appropriate for the development of electrochemical biosensors. Furthermore, this work also evaluates the semiconductor character of carbon nanotubes (CNT) for sensor technology by using a field effect transistor configuration (FET). The CNT-FET device has been optimized for operating in liquid environments. These electrochemical and electronic CNT devices are highly promising for biomolecule sensing and for the monitoring of biological processes, which can in the future lead to applications for rapid and simple diagnostics in fields such as biotechnology, clinical and environmental research.

This volume provides the latest developments in the field of surface science and technology based on diazonium coupling agents as well as their precursors (e.g. aromatic amines). It presents new concepts of surface chemistry of diazonium salts and discusses their novel and challenging applications. The latest advances on surface modification with diazonium salts are discussed and various promising alternative surface modifiers such as iodonium salts are examined. This book demonstrates the universality of diazonium salts in the surface treatment of classical and emergent materials and it will be a great tool for researcher and graduates working in this field.

Covers all aspects of gold nanorods along with selected protocols Focuses on synthetic chemistry, optical property, and fictionalization approach of colloidal gold nanorods Describes standard synthetic methods and advantage of gold nanorods in biomedical applications Includes authentic and reproducible experimental procedures Discusses applications like redox catalyst, catalyst promoter, delivery carrier, solar cell material, and so forth

Bio-based materials, including those containing wood, will become increasingly important as we move to a bio-based economy. Among their many attributes, it is vitally important that these materials are renewable, sustainable with proper management and environmentally benign. Wood remains one of our most important bio-based materials. While it is an amazing material, wood still has negative attributes and drawbacks that can affect performance, including dimensional instability when wetted, vulnerability to fire and high temperatures, and susceptibility to biodeterioration. A variety of treatments have been developed to overcome these weaknesses. Among the most exciting of these treatments are nanomaterials. These materials have some exceptionally attractive properties for improving timber performance and have been the subject of intensive research over the past decade. There is a tremendous need for a single comprehensive source of information on this rapidly emerging subject with tremendous potential to enhance the performance of a variety of bio-based materials. This book contains 10 chapters, each compiled by different author(s) who are considered the top researcher(s) in their respective fields. The chapters begin with some basic background on nanomaterials and their synthesis, then explore different areas for potential applications and conclude with a review of the emerging questions about nanomaterial safety. The book is designed to provide the latest information and know-how on application and utilization of different nanomaterials to improve the properties of wood and wood-based composite panels. The contents cover some main topics in the industry including improving physical and mechanical properties, increasing resistance to biodegradation (including fungi and insects), developing wood-plastic composites (WPC), applying nanomaterials in paper and board industry, and emergence of transparent wood and radiation shielding. It also covers the use of nanomaterials to improve the performance of paints and finishes used for forest products. The book provides a single location for those interested in the field to begin.

The current generation of imaging nanoparticles is diverse and dependent on its myriad of applications. This book provides an overview of how these imaging particles can be designed to fulfill specific requirements for applications across different imaging modalities. It presents, for the first time, a comprehensive interdisciplinary overview of the impact nanoparticles have on biomedical imaging and is a common central resource for researchers and teachers.

This book describes the forcefields/interatomic potentials that are used in the atomistic-scale and molecular dynamics simulations. It covers mechanisms, salient features, formulations, important aspects and case studies of various forcefields utilized for characterizing various materials (such as nuclear materials and nanomaterials) and applications. This book gives many help to students and researchers who are studying the forcefield potentials and introduces various applications of atomistic-scale simulations to professors who are researching molecular dynamics.

The AlInGaN and ZnO materials systems have proven to be one of the scientifically and technologically important areas of development over the past 15 years, with applications in UV/visible optoelectronics and in high-power/high-frequency microwave devices. The pace of advances in these areas has been remarkable and the wide band gap community relies on books like the one we are proposing to provide a review and summary of recent progress.

The only reference book which discusses the usage of nanoprobes for structure determination, in an industry where miniaturisation is the main focus. Designed for newcomers as well as professionals already in the industry.

This book is intended for researchers who are interested in investigating the nanomechanical properties of materials using advanced instrumentation techniques. The chapters of the book are written in an easy-to-follow format, just like solved examples. The book comprehensively covers a broad range of materials such as polymers, ceramics, hybrids, biomaterials, metal oxides, nanoparticles, minerals, carbon nanotubes and welded joints. Each chapter describes the application of techniques on the selected material and also mentions the methodology adopted for the extraction of information from the raw data.
This is a unique book in which both equipment manufacturers and equipment users have contributed chapters. Novices will learn the techniques directly from the inventors and senior researchers will gain in-depth information on the new technologies that are suitable for advanced analysis. On the one hand, fundamental concepts that are needed to understand the nanomechanical behavior of materials is included in the introductory part of the book. On the other hand, dedicated chapters describe the utilization of advanced numerical modeling in understanding the properties of complex materials.
This book is useful for students and researchers from diverse backgrounds including chemistry, physics, materials science & engineering, biotechnology and biomedical engineering.It is well suited as a textbook for students andas a reference book for researchers."

This book presents the recent progress in the field of nanophotonics. It contains review-like chapters focusing on various but mutually related topics in nanophotonics written by the world's leading scientists. Following the elaboration of the idea of nanophotonics, much theoretical and experimental work has been carried out, and several novel photonic devices, high-resolution fabrication, highly efficient energy conversion, and novel information processing have been developed in these years. Novel theoretical models describing the nanometric light-matter interaction, nonequilibrium statistical mechanical models for photon breeding processes and near-field-assisted chemical reactions as well as light-matter interaction are also explained in this book. It describes dressed photon technology and its applications, including implementation of nanophotonic devices and systems, fabrication methods and performance characteristics of ultrathin, ultraflexible organic light-emitting diodes, organic solar cells and organic transistors.

This book reviews the most recent developments of fluorescent imaging techniques for medicinal chemistry research and biomedical applications, including cell imaging, in vitro diagnosis and in vivo imaging. Fluorescent imaging techniques play an important role in basic research, drug discovery and clinical translation. They have great impact to many fields including chemical biology, cell biology, medical imaging, cancer diagnosis and treatment, pharmaceutical science, among others, and they have facilitated our understanding of diseases and helped to develop many novel powerful tools for imaging and treatment of diseases. This book will appeal to scientists from numerous fields such as chemistry, pharmaceutical science, biology, materials science, and medicine, and it will serve as a very useful and handy resource for readers with different levels of scientific knowledge, ranging from entry level to professional level.

This book explores the possibility of using micro/nanostructures formed on the doped ice surface as a novel separation platform. In addition, it provides comprehensive information on the nature of freeze-concentrated solutions (FCSs) and the ice/FCS interface, which play important roles in the natural environment and industrial processes alike. The book proposes a novel size-selective separation approach using channels formed on the doped ice surface. The separation is based on the physical interaction of analytes with channel walls, which is controlled by varying the channel width through temperature and dopant concentration changes. It also shows the precise control of the channel width to be in a range of 200 nm-4 m and demonstrates the size-selective separation of microspheres, cells, and DNA. The physicochemical properties of FCSs are measured to reveal the nature of the ice/FCS interface, and the zeta potentials of ice are measured by determining EOF rates in a microchannel fabricated in the ice. The deprotonation at OH dangling bonds and adsorption of ions are also discussed. The viscosities of FCSs confined in micro/nanospaces are evaluated by means of two spectroscopic methods. When an FCS is confined in small spaces surrounded by ice, the viscosity increases compared to that in a bulk solution. Interestingly, this viscosity enhancement occurs even though its size is on the micrometer scale. These parameters are essential to discussing the unique phenomena occurring in FCSs. This book provides an explanation of the scientific processes taking place in FCSs, and reveals the potential that frozen solutions hold as innovative micro/nanofluidic devices and reaction platforms.

This book highlights the latest advances in AFM nano-manipulation research in the field of nanotechnology. There are numerous uncertainties in the AFM nano-manipulation environment, such as thermal drift, tip broadening effect, tip positioning errors and manipulation instability. This book proposes a method for estimating tip morphology using a blind modeling algorithm, which is the basis of the analysis of the influence of thermal drift on AFM scanning images, and also explains how the scanning image of AFM is reconstructed with better accuracy. Further, the book describes how the tip positioning errors caused by thermal drift and system nonlinearity can be corrected using the proposed landmark observation method, and also explores the tip path planning method in a complex environment. Lastly, it presents an AFM-based nano-manipulation platform to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method using theoretical research, such as tip positioning and virtual nano-hand.

Filling the need for a single work specifically addressing how to use plasma for the fabrication of nanoscale structures, this book is the first to cover plasma deposition in sufficient depth.
The author has worked with numerous R&D institutions around the world, and here he begins with an introductory overview of plasma processing at micro- and nanoscales, as well as the current problems and challenges, before going on to address surface preparation, generation and diagnostics, transport and the manipulation of nano units.

The ability to arrange precisely designed patterns of nanoparticles into a desired spatial configuration is the key to creating novel nanoscale devices that take advantage of the unique properties of nanomaterials. While two-dimensional arrays of nanoparticles have been demonstrated successfully by various techniques, a controlled way of building ordered arrays of three-dimensional (3D) nanoparticle structures remains challenging. This book describes a new technique called the 'nanoscopic lens' which is able to produce a variety of 3D nano-structures in a controlled manner. This ebook describes the nanoscopic lens technique and how it can serve as the foundation for device development that is not limited to a variety of optical, magnetic and electronic devices, but can also create a wide range of bio-nanoelectronic devices.

Mesoscopic physics has made great strides in the last few years. It is an area of research that is attractive to many graduate students of theoretical condensed matter physics. The techniques that are needed to understand it go beyond the conventional perturbative approaches that still form the bulk of the graduate lectures that are given to students. Even when the non-perturbative techniques are presented, they often are presented within an abstract context. It is important to have lectures given by experts in the field, which present both theory and experiment in an illuminating and inspiring way, so that the impact of new methodology on novel physics is clear. It is an apt time to have such a volume since the field has reached a level of maturity. The pedagogical nature of the articles and the variety of topics makes it an important resource for newcomers to the field. The topics range from the newly emerging area of quantum computers and quantum information using Josephson junctions to the formal mathematical methods of conformal field theory which are applied to the understanding of Luttinger liquids. Electrons which interact strongly can give rise to non-trivial ground states such as superconductivity, quantum Hall states and magnetism. Both their theory and application are discussed in a pedagogical way for quantum information in mesoscopic superconducting devices, skyrmions and magnetism in two dimensional electron gases, transport in quantum wires, metal-insulator transitions and spin electronics.

Multiscale Dissipative Mechanisms and Hierarchical Surfaces covers the rapidly developing topics of hierarchical surfaces, roughness-induced superhydrophobicity and biomimetic surfaces. The research in these topics has been progressing rapidly in the recent years due to the advances in the nanosciences and surfaces science and due to potential applications in nanotechnology. The first in its field, this monograph provides a comprehensive review of these subjects and presents the background introduction as well as recent and new results in the area.