The perception of the atomic-scale world has greatly changed since the discovery and development, in the early '80s, of scanning tunneling microscopy by Binnig and Rohrer. Beyond the observation of individual atoms, which is now routine, the concept of playing with atoms has become commonplace. This has led to the fashioning of tools at the atomic scale, to the deposition, the displacement and the creation of atomic structures and also to a knowledge of interactions and contacts between atoms. Nanotips ending with a single atom are sources of ultra-fine charged beams. They can be unique tools for high resolution observations, for microfabrications by micro-machining and deposition at a scale not previously attainable, with a working distance less stringent than with STM devices. These nanosources should then be the starting point for the development of high-performance miniature devices. For all the subjects mentioned above, new laws have been identified and circumscribed in the different articles. These proceedings marked the shift of emphasis from a passive attitude of analysis towards a more active role of the scientist in the creation and use of atomic configurations. (ABSTRACT) This volume contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop which reviewed the basic principles and highlighted the progress made during the last few years on the atomic scale sources and the interactions between microprobes and samples. The motivation is to use the novel properties attached to the atomic dimensions to develop nanoscale technologies.

Nanoscale Science and Technology summarizes six years of active research sponsored by NATO with the participation of the leading experts.The book provides an interdisciplinary view of several aspects of physics at the atomic scale. It contains an overview of the latest findings on the transport of electrons in nanowires and nanoconstrictions, the role of forces in probe microscopy, the control of structures and properties in the nanometer range, aspects of magnetization in nanometric structures, and local probes for nondestructive measurement as provided by light and metal clusters near atomic scales.

The purpose of VLBV 2003 was to provide an international forum for the d- cussion of the state of the art of visual content processing techniques, standards, and applications covering areas such as: video/image analysis, representation and coding, communications and delivery, consumption, synthesis, protection, and adaptation. The topics of special interest include all the areas relevant to image communications nowadays, from representation and coding to content classi?cation, adaptation, and personalization. A meeting covering such a wide range of topics takes many years to develop. So, please follow a brief story of the evolution of this relevant and specialized forum and of its adaptation to the prevailing interests along time. At the beginning of 1993, the idea of a specialized workshop to discuss topics in advanced image communications came in Lausanne, Switzerland, at a m- ting of the steering committee of the International Picture Coding Symposium. Therefore, the so-called International Workshop on Coding Techniques for Very Low Bit-rate Video VLBV was born as low bit-rate research was considered to be the leading edge. The ?rst workshop was held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, in 1993; the second at the University of Essex in Colchester, UK, in April 1994; the third at NTT in Tokyo, Japan, in November 1995;thefourthattheUniversityofLink] oping, Sweden, inJuly1997;the?fthin Urbana (again) in October 1998. Until this last workshop, VLBV life was closely tied with MPEG-4, that is to low bit-rate research.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 4th European Conference on Multimedia Applications, Services and Techniques, ECMAST'99, held in Madrid, Spain in May 1999.The 37 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 71 submissions. The book is divided in sections on services and applications, multimedia terminals, content creation, physical broadcast infrastructure, multimedia over the Internet, metadata, 3D imaging, multicast protocols, security and protection, and mobility.

Not only computer scientists, but also electrical engineers, and others interested in electronics are targeted here, and thus the presentation is directed toward understanding how a computer works, while still providing a broad and effective one-year introduction to classical and modern physics. The first half of the book covers many of the topics found in a standard introductory physics course, but with the selection tailored for use in the second half. This second part then covers the fundamentals of quantum mechanics, multi-electron systems, crystal structure, semiconductor devices, and logic circuits. All the mathematical complexities treated are alleviated by intuitive physical arguments, and students are encouraged to use their own programming to solve problems. The only prerequisite is some knowledge of calculus, and the second part can serve by itself as an introduction to the physics of electronics for students who have had a standard two-semester introductory physics course. In this second edition, much of the material on electronic devices has been brought up to date, and there is a new chapter on integrated circuits and heterostructures.