The time evol11tion of many physical phenomena in nat11re can be de scribed by partial differential eq11ations. To analyze and control the dynamic behavior of s11ch systems. infinite dimensional system theory was developed and has been refined over the past several decades. In recent years. stim11lated by the applications arising from space exploration. a11tomated manufact11ring, and other areas of technological advancement, major progress has been made in both theory and control technology associated with infinite dimensional systems. For example, new conditions in the time domain and frequency domain have been derived which guarantee that a Co-semigroup is exponen tially stable; new feedback control laws helVe been proposed to exponentially;;tabilize beam. wave, and thermoelastic equations; and new methods have been developed which allow us to show that the spectrum-determined growth condition holds for a wide class of systems. Therefore, there is a need for a reference book which presents these restllts in an integrated fashion. Complementing the existing books, e. g . . 1]. 41]. and 128]. this book reports some recent achievements in stability and feedback stabilization of infinite dimensional systems. In particular, emphasis will be placed on the second order partial differential equations. such as Euler-Bernoulli beam equations. which arise from control of numerous mechanical systems stich as flexible robot arms and large space structures. We will be focusing on new results. most of which are our own recently obtained research results."

The time evol11tion of many physical phenomena in nat11re can be de scribed by partial differential eq11ations. To analyze and control the dynamic behavior of s11ch systems. infinite dimensional system theory was developed and has been refined over the past several decades. In recent years. stim11lated by the applications arising from space exploration. a11tomated manufact11ring, and other areas of technological advancement, major progress has been made in both theory and control technology associated with infinite dimensional systems. For example, new conditions in the time domain and frequency domain have been derived which guarantee that a Co-semigroup is exponen tially stable; new feedback control laws helVe been proposed to exponentially;;tabilize beam. wave, and thermoelastic equations; and new methods have been developed which allow us to show that the spectrum-determined growth condition holds for a wide class of systems. Therefore, there is a need for a reference book which presents these restllts in an integrated fashion. Complementing the existing books, e. g . . 1]. 41]. and 128]. this book reports some recent achievements in stability and feedback stabilization of infinite dimensional systems. In particular, emphasis will be placed on the second order partial differential equations. such as Euler-Bernoulli beam equations. which arise from control of numerous mechanical systems stich as flexible robot arms and large space structures. We will be focusing on new results. most of which are our own recently obtained research results."