The most important aspects of modern surface science are covered. All topics are presented in a concise and clear form accessible to a beginner. At the same time, the coverage is comprehensive and at a high technical level, with emphasis on the fundamental physical principles. Numerous examples, references, practice exercises, and problems complement this remarkably complete treatment, which will also serve as an excellent reference for researchers and practitioners. The textbook is idea for students in engineering and physical sciences.

This volume contains a selection of lectures and seminars given at the Ninth International Workshop on Instabilities and Nonequilibrium Structures which took place in Via del Mar, Chile, in December 2001. This book consists of two parts, the first one has three lectures written by Professors H.R. Brand, M. Moreau and L.S. Tuckerman. H.R. Brand gives an overview about reorientation and undulation instabilities in liquid crystals, M. Moreau presents recent results on biased tracer diffusion in lattice gases, finally, L.S. Tuckerman summarizes some numerical methods used in bifurcation problems. The second part consists of a collection of selected seminars which cover different topics in nonlinear physics, from an experimental, numerical and theoretical point of view. This book should appeal to mathematicians, physicists and engineers interested in dynamical systems, statistical mechanics, and nonequilibrium systems.

Interdisciplinary research on superconducting oxides is the main focus of the contributions in this volume. Several aspects of the thin film field from fundamental properties to applications are examined. Interesting results for the Bi system are also reviewed. The 132 papers, including 8 invited, report mainly on the 1-2-3 system, indicating that the Y-Ba-Cu-O and related compounds are still the most intensively studied materials in this field. The volume attests to the significant progress that has been made in this field, as well as reporting on the challenging problems that still remain to be solved.

Thin film technology is used in many applications such as microelectronics, optics, hard and corrosion resistant coatings and micromechanics, and thin films form a uniquely versatile material base for the development of novel technologies within these industries. Thin film growth provides an important and up-to-date review of the theory and deposition techniques used in the formation of thin films.Part one focuses on the theory of thin film growth, with chapters covering nucleation and growth processes in thin films, phase-field modelling of thin film growth and surface roughness evolution. Part two covers some of the techniques used for thin film growth, including oblique angle deposition, reactive magnetron sputtering and epitaxial growth of graphene films on single crystal metal surfaces. This section also includes chapters on the properties of thin films, covering topics such as substrate plasticity and buckling of thin films, polarity control, nanostructure growth dynamics and network behaviour in thin films.With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Thin film growth is an essential reference for engineers in electronics, energy materials and mechanical engineering, as well as those with an academic research interest in the topic. - Provides an important and up-to-date review of the theory and deposition techniques used in the formation of thin films - Focusses on the theory and modelling of thin film growth, techniques and mechanisms used for thin film growth and properties of thin films - An essential reference for engineers in electronics, energy materials and mechanical engineering

“The importance of knowledge consists not only in its direct practical utility but also in the fact the it promotes a widely contemplative habit of mind; on this ground, utility is to be found in much of the knowledge that is nowadays labelled ‘useless’. ” Bertrand Russel, In Praise of Idleness, London (1935) “Why are scientists in so many cases so deeply interested in their work ? Is it merely because it is useful ? It is only necessary to talk to such scientists to discover that the utilitarian possibilities of their work are generally of secondary interest to them. Something else is primary. ” David Bohm, On creativity, Abingdon (1996) In this volume, the dynamical critical behaviour of many-body systems far from equilibrium is discussed. Therefore, the intrinsic properties of the - namics itself, rather than those of the stationary state, are in the focus of 1 interest. Characteristically, far-from-equilibrium systems often display - namical scaling, even if the stationary state is very far from being critical. A 1 As an example of a non-equilibrium phase transition, with striking practical c- sequences, consider the allotropic change of metallic ?-tin to brittle ?-tin. At o equilibrium, the gray ?-Sn becomes more stable than the silvery ?-Sn at 13. 2 C. Kinetically, the transition between these two solid forms of tin is rather slow at higher temperatures. It starts from small islands of ?-Sn, the growth of which proceeds through an auto-catalytic reaction.

The book is devoted to the consideration of the different processes taking place in thin films and at surfaces. Since the most important physico-chemical phenomena in such media are accompanied by the rearrangement of an intra- and intermolecular coordinates and consequently a surrounding molecular ensemble, the theory of radiationless multi-vibrational transitions is used for its description. The second part of the book considers the numerous surface phenomena. And in the third part is described the preparation methods and characteristics of different types of thin films. Both experimental and theoretical descriptions are represented. Media rearrangement coupled with the reagent transformation largely determines the absolute value and temperature dependence of the rate constants and other characteristics of the considered processes. These effects are described at the atomic or molecular level based on the multi-phonon theory, starting from the first pioneering studies through to contemporary studies.A number of questions are included at the end of many chapters to further reinforce the material presented.· Unified approach to the description of numerous physico-chemical phenomena in different materials· Based on the pioneering research work of the authors· Explantion of a variety of experimental observations· Material is presented at two levels of complexity for specialists and non-specialists · Identifies existing and potential applications of the processes and phenomena · Includes questions at the end of some chapters to further reinforce the material discussed

The goal of producing devices that are smaller, faster, more functional, reproducible, reliable and economical has given thin film processing a unique role in technology.Principles of Vapor Deposition of Thin Films brings in to one place a diverse amount of scientific background that is considered essential to become knowledgeable in thin film depostition techniques. Its ultimate goal as a reference is to provide the foundation upon which thin film science and technological innovation are possible.* Offers detailed derivation of important formulae.* Thoroughly covers the basic principles of materials science that are important to any thin film preparation.* Careful attention to terminologies, concepts and definitions, as well as abundance of illustrations offer clear support for the text.