A reissue of a classic Oxford text. The book sets out theoretical concepts and makes comparisons with experiments for a wide variety of phenomena in non-crystalline materials.

The earliest experimental data on an oxygen-free glass have been published by Schulz-Sellack in 1870 [1]. Later on, in 1902, Wood [2], as well as Meier in 1910 [3], carried out the first researches on the optical properties of vitreous selenium. The interest in the glasses that exhibit transparency in the infrared region of the optical spectrum rose at the beginning of the twentieth century. Firstly were investigated the heavy metal oxides and the transparency limit was extended from (the case of the classical oxide glasses) up to wavelength. In order to extend this limit above the scientists tried the chemical compositions based on the elements of the sixth group of the Periodic Table, the chalcogens: sulphur, selenium and tellurium. The systematic research in the field of glasses based on chalcogens, called chalcogenide glasses, started at the middle of our century. In 1950 Frerichs [4] investigated the glass and published the paper: “New optical glasses transparent in infrared up to 12 . Several years later he started the study of the selenium glass and prepared several binary glasses with sulphur [5]. Glaze and co-workers [6] developed in 1957 the first method for the preparation of the glass at the industrial scale, while Winter-Klein [7] published reports on numerous chalcogenides prepared in the vitreous state.

This volume constitutes the written proceedings of the Third International Conference on Materials SCience, held under the sponsorship of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei as the XIII summer course of the G. Donegani Foundation at Tremezzo, Italy, on September 4-15, 1972. The course of lectures was designed for scientists and engineers "d th a ,wrking knowledge of electronic materials, who sought to extend their knowledge of the newest developments in the field. The rapid pace of research and exploratory development in electronic materials has led to a preSSing need for continuing awareness and assessment of new electronic materials, as well as renewal of information in the more traditional areas. Three classes of electronic materials were selected for the course. Semiconductors provide the foundation for solid state electronics and semiconductor devices represent the most sophisti cated and advanced application of materials science and engineering known to modern technology. Yet, the march of progress in semi conductors continues ,unabated - new semiconductor materials are in the research stage, new process technology is being developed, and new devices are being conceived. The second class of materials dealt with in the course, magnetic alloys and insulators, also has a firm application base; for example, computer performance is often measured in terms of the size of the magnetic memory. The tailoring of materials to provide particular combinations of desired magnetic properties is an integral part of the development of the electronics, just as in the case of semiconductors.