This book provides a general formalism for the calculation of the spectral correlation function for the fluctuating electromagnetic field. The procedure is applied to the radiative heat transfer and the van der Waals friction using both the semi-classical theory of the fluctuating electromagnetic field and quantum field theory. Applications of the radiative heat transfer and non-contact friction to scanning probe spectroscopy are presented. The theory gives a tentative explanation for the experimental non-contact friction data. The book explains that radiative heat transfer and the van der Waals friction are largely enhanced at short separations between the bodies due to the evanescent electromagnetic waves. Particular strong enhancement occurs if the surfaces of the bodies can support localized surface modes like surface plasmons, surface polaritons or adsorbate vibrational modes. An electromagnetic field outside a moving body can also be created by static charges which are always present on the surface of the body due to inhomogeneities, or due to a bias voltage. This electromagnetic field produces electrostatic friction which can be significantly enhanced if on the surface of the body there is a 2D electron or hole system or an incommensurate adsorbed layer of ions exhibiting acoustic vibrations.

Serving as the only systematic and comprehensive treatment on the topic of nanoparticle-based materials, this book covers synthesis, characterization, assembly, shaping and sintering of all types of nanoparticles including metals, ceramics, and semiconductors. A single-authored work, it is suitable as a graduate-level text in nanomaterials courses.

This book is loosely based on a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) project and a few supplemental projects sponsored by the Of?ce of Naval Research (ONR) during the time frame of 2004–2009. The initial technical scope and vision of the MURI project was formulated by Drs. Larry Cooper and Joel Davis, both program of?cers at ONR at the time. The unifying theme of this MURI project and its companionefforts is the concept of cellular nonlinear/neuralnetwork (CNN) technology and its various extensions and chip implementations, including nanoscale sensors and the broadening ?eld of cellular wave computing. In recent years, CNN-based vision system drew much attention from vision scientists to device technologists and computer architects. Due to its early - plementation in a two-dimensional (2D) topography, it found success in early vision technologyapplications, such as focal-plane arrays, locally adaptable sensor/ processor integration, resulting in extremely high frame rates of 10,000 frames per second. More recently it drew increasing attention from computer architects, due to its intrinsic local interconnect architecture and parallel processing paradigm. As a result, a few spin-off companies have already been successful in bringing cel- lar wave computing and CNN technology to the market. This book aims to capture some of the recent advances in the ?eld of CNN research and a few select areas of applications.

This reference provides brief explanations for the most important terms that may be encountered in a study of the fundamental principles, experimental investigations, and industrial applications of nano- and microscience, including colloid and interface science. More than a dictionary, the book also provides information on properties, units, equations, techniques, and pioneers in the field. The comprehensive content covers both current and older terms, complete cross-references for the most important synonyms, abbreviations, and acronyms, and numerous tables for the quick overview. An authoritative reference, vital for unhindered communication and knowledge transfer in this fast-growing and broadly interdisciplinary field.

Advances in photonics and nanotechnology have the potential to revolutionize humanitys ability to communicate and compute. To pursue these advances, it is mandatory to understand and properly model interactions of light with materials such as silicon and gold at the nanoscale, i.e., the span of a few tens of atoms laid side by side. These interactions are governed by the fundamental Maxwells equations of classical electrodynamics, supplemented by quantum electrodynamics. This book presents the current state-of-the-art in formulating and implementing computational models of these interactions. Maxwells equations are solved using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique, pioneered by the senior editor, whose prior Artech House books in this area are among the top ten most-cited in the history of engineering. This cutting-edge resource helps readers understand the latest developments in computational modeling of nanoscale optical microscopy and microchip lithography, as well as nanoscale plasmonics and biophotonics.

Of value to the general scientific public, this is the first book in the world scientific literature devoted to the Casimir effect. This topic has important applications in the fields of elementary particle physics, statistical physics, quantum field theory, gravitation and cosmology.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date description of the Josephson effect, a topic of never-ending interest in both fundamental and applied physics. In this volume, world-renowned experts present the unique aspects of the physics of the Josephson effect, resulting from the use of new materials, of hybrid architectures and from the possibility of realizing nanoscale junctions. These new experimental capabilities lead to systems where novel coherent phenomena and transport processes emerge. All this is of great relevance and impact, especially when combined with the didactic approach of the book. The reader will benefit from a general and modern view of coherent phenomena in weakly-coupled superconductors on a macroscopic scale. Topics that have been only recently discussed in specialized papers and in short reviews are described here for the first time and organized in a general framework. An important section of the book is also devoted to applications, with focus on long-term, future applications. In addition to a significant number of illustrations, the book includes numerous tables for comparative studies on technical aspects.