Nanostructured films and coatings possess unique properties due to both size and interface effects. They find many applications in areas such as electronics, catalysis, protection, data storage, optics and sensors. The focus of the present book is on synthesis and processing; advanced characterization techniques; properties (including mechanical, chemical, electronic, thermal, catalytic, and magnetic); modelling of interlayer and intralayer interfaces; and applications.

Modulated Structure Materials arise in two basic ways. One is through the natural tendency that certain materials have to develoo stable modulations. Tynical examples of this catenory are the lonn oeriod superlattices, the spinodal alloys and other ordered structures. Another way to introduce nodulation into a basic is throuqh our own intervention, that is ~v artificial structure techninues. Such examples as the conposition nodulated films and the seniconductor superlattices have recently received apnreciable attention not only for their noble and unusual nrooerties but also for their practical applications in hiqh technolony areas. The NATO Advanced Study Institute on Modulated Structure ~'laterials which was held June 15-25, 1983 in t1alene-Chania, Greece, aimed at brinninq tonether international authorities and active researchers to discuss in-depth current knowledne and new develop- ments in both natural and artificial modulated structure materials. Up to this time, the Editor has received indications that the Institute served well its purpose. The fifteen carefully selected invited speakers qave outstandinq lectures on all aspects of modulated structures. The lectures were followed by extensive and lively discussions amonq all participants. It should be noted that on two occasions discussion panels were formed to address some of the fundamental aspects of modulated structures in view of the imnressive result~ of advanced experimental techniaues (lattice ann structure imaqinq techniaues in hinh resolution electron microscoP"; X-ray and neutron diffraction Methods, etc.

The Advanced Study Institute on Synthesis, Functional Properties and Applications of Nanostructures, held at the Knossos Royal Village, Heraklion, Crete, Greece, July 26, 2002 - August 4, 2002, successfully reviewed the state-of-the-art of nanostructures and nanotechnology. It was concluded that Nanotechnology is widely agreed to be the research focus that will lead to the next generation of breakthroughs in science and engineering. There are three cornerstones to the expectation that Nanotechnology will yield revolutionary advances in understanding and application: * Breakthroughs in properties that arise from materials fabricated from the nanoscale. * Synergistic behavior that arise from the combination of disparate types of materials (soft vs. hard, organic vs. inorganic, chemical vs. biological vs. solid state) at the nanoscale. * Exploitation of natural (e.g. chemical and biological) assembly mechanisms that can accomplish structural control at the nanoscale. It is expected that this will lead to paradigms for assembling bio-inspired functional systems that accomplish desirable properties that are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive using top-down approaches.

Nanostructured films and coatings possess unique properties due to both size and interface effects. They find many applications in areas such as electronics, catalysis, protection, data storage, optics and sensors. The focus of the present book is on synthesis and processing; advanced characterization techniques; properties (including mechanical, chemical, electronic, thermal, catalytic, and magnetic); modelling of interlayer and intralayer interfaces; and applications.