The two special volumes of Advances in Polymer Science entitled Polymers for Photonics Applications provide authoritative and critical reviews of up-to-date research and advances in various fields of photonic polymers as well as their promising applications. Eight articles contributed by internationally recognized scientists are concerned with polymers for second- and third-order nonlinear optics, quadratic parametric interactions in polymer waveguides, electroluminescent polymers for light sources, photoreflective polymers for holographic information storage, and highly efficient two-photon absorbing organics and polymers, including their applications. This review should provide individuals working in the field of photonic polymers with invaluable scientific knowledge on the state of the art while giving directions for future research to those deeply interested.

-On the Mechanisms Leading to Exfoliated Nanocomposites Prepared by Mixing By C. D. Han -Phase Behavior and Phase Transitions in AB- and ABA-type Microphase-Separated Block Copolymers By J. K. Kim, C. D. Han -New Class Materials of Organic Inorganic Hybridized Nanocrystals/Nanoparticles, and Their Assembled Microand Nano-Structure Toward Photonics By H. Oikawa, T. Onodera, A. Masuhara, H. Kasai, H. Nakanishi -Poly(substituted Methylene) Synthesis: Construction of C C Main Chain from One Carbon Unit By E. Ihara"

Over the past 25 years or so there has been a revolution in the devel- mentoffunctionalpolymers. Whilemanypolymersascommoditiesrepresent huge markets, new materials with a high degree of functionality have been developed. Such specialty polymers play important roles in our day-to-day lives. The current volumes 213 and 214 of Advances in Polymer Science focus on photoresponsive polymers. In particular polymers that can either change the properties of a beam of light that passes through them or who change their properties in response to light. Volume 213 starts with an introd- tion to two-photon absorption by Rumi, Barlow, Wang, Perry, and Marder. In this chapter they develop the basic concepts of two-photon absorption, and describe structure-property relationships for a variety of symmetrical and unsymmetrical molecules. The applications of these materials in 3D - crofabrication of polymers, metals, and oxide materials are detailed in the chapterentitled"Two-PhotonAbsorberandTwo-PhotonInduced Chemistry" contributed by the same group of authors. Then Bel?eld, Bondar, and Yao describe the molecules, dendrimers, oligomers, and polymers that can be - cited by two-photonabsorption and their application in processing materials with three-dimensional spatial control in their chapter entitled "Two-Photon Absorbing Photonic Materials. " Speci?cally they describe the development of symmetrical and polar conjugated materials for two-photon absorption and their use as photo-initiatorsfor3D microfabrication. Juodkazis,Mizeikis, and Misawaalsoexploremultiphotonprocessingofmaterials intheirchapter,and provide more focus on the processing aspects of these materials and discuss thestate-of-the-artinresolution.

Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist.

Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist.

-On the Mechanisms Leading to Exfoliated Nanocomposites Prepared by Mixing By C. D. Han -Phase Behavior and Phase Transitions in AB- and ABA-type Microphase-Separated Block Copolymers By J. K. Kim, C. D. Han -New Class Materials of Organic-Inorganic Hybridized Nanocrystals/Nanoparticles, and Their Assembled Microand Nano-Structure Toward Photonics By H. Oikawa, T. Onodera, A. Masuhara, H. Kasai, H. Nakanishi -Poly(substituted Methylene) Synthesis: Construction of C-C Main Chain from One Carbon Unit By E. Ihara

Over the past 25 years or so there has been a revolution in the devel- mentoffunctionalpolymers. Whilemanypolymersascommoditiesrepresent huge markets, new materials with a high degree of functionality have been developed. Such specialty polymers play important roles in our day-to-day lives. The current volumes 213 and 214 of Advances in Polymer Science focus on photoresponsive polymers. In particular polymers that can either change the properties of a beam of light that passes through them or who change their properties in response to light. Volume 213 starts with an introd- tion to two-photon absorption by Rumi, Barlow, Wang, Perry, and Marder. In this chapter they develop the basic concepts of two-photon absorption, and describe structure-property relationships for a variety of symmetrical and unsymmetrical molecules. The applications of these materials in 3D - crofabrication of polymers, metals, and oxide materials are detailed in the chapterentitled"Two-PhotonAbsorberandTwo-PhotonInduced Chemistry" contributed by the same group of authors. Then Bel?eld, Bondar, and Yao describe the molecules, dendrimers, oligomers, and polymers that can be - cited by two-photonabsorption and their application in processing materials with three-dimensional spatial control in their chapter entitled "Two-Photon Absorbing Photonic Materials. " Speci?cally they describe the development of symmetrical and polar conjugated materials for two-photon absorption and their use as photo-initiatorsfor3D microfabrication. Juodkazis,Mizeikis, and Misawaalsoexploremultiphotonprocessingofmaterials intheirchapter,and provide more focus on the processing aspects of these materials and discuss thestate-of-the-artinresolution.