The papers in this volume cover all aspects of laser assisted surface processing ranging from the preparation of high-Tc superconducting layer structures to industrial laser applications for device fabrication. The topics presented give recent results in organometallic chemistry and laser photochemistry, and novel surface characterization techniques. The ability to control the surface morphology by digital deposition and etching shows one of the future directions for exciting applications of laser surface processing, some of which may apply UV and VUV excitation. The understanding of elementary proceses is essential for the design of novel deposition methods, with diamond CVD being an outstanding example. The high quality of these contributions once again demonstrates that the E-MRS is an efficient forum for interaction between research workers and industry.

The preparation of silicon germanium microstructures, their physical, chemical and electrical characterization, and their device processing and application are reviewed in this book. Special emphasis is given to ultrathin Si/Ge superlattices. Topics covered include: Wafer preparation and epitaxial growth; surface effects driven phenomena, such as clustering, segregation, 'surfactants'; Analysis, both in situ and ex situ; Strain adjustment methods; High quality buffers; Modification of material properties by quantum wells and superlattices; Devices: Novel concepts, processing, modelling, demonstrators. The questions highlighted, particularly those articles comparing related or competing activities, will provide a wealth of knowledge for all those interested in the future avenues of theory and applications in this field.

A wide range of progress in materials development [single crystals, ceramics, thin films, wire and tapes] is reported in the 169 papers in this volume. The main focus of the papers is in attaining a better understanding of the relationship between microstructure and electrical properties. Invited papers cover topics such as the effects of substitution and doping; multilayers; nanostructure characterisation; electric field effects in High Tc Superconductors [HTS]; surface stability; critical currents; flux pinning and magnetooptic imaging of flux patterns; effects of irradiation induced defects; properties and preparation of materials; microwave properties and electronic devices. A clearly broadened basis for understanding processes and mechanisms in [HTS] is portrayed. Appreciable progress has been achieved in the reproducible manufacturing of high quality materials supported by very efficient methods in microstructural analysis. This essential improvement is reflected in the increased number of practical devices encouraging the use of HTS in applications for electronics and power engineering, all of which are reviewed in depth in this work.

These three day symposia were designed to provide a link between specialists from university or industry who work in different fields of semiconductor optoelectronics. Symposium A dealt with topics including: epitaxial growth of III-V, II-VI, IV-VI, Si-based structures; selective-area, localized and non-planar epitaxy, shadow-mask epitaxy; bulk and new optoelectronic materials; polymers for optoelectronics. Symposium B dealt with III-V epitaxial layers grown by low temperature molecular beam epitaxy, a subject which has undergone rapid development in the last three years.

The use of lasers in material processing has become a useful method for transforming industrial materials into finished products. The benefits of laser material processing are vast, including increased precision, high processing speed, and dustless cutting and drilling. Advanced Manufacturing Techniques Using Laser Material Processing explores the latest methodologies for using lasers in materials manufacturing and production, the benefits of using lasers in industrial settings, as well as future outlooks for this technology. This innovative publication is an essential reference source for professionals, researchers, and graduate-level students studying manufacturing technologies and industrial engineering.

Synthesis of nonequilibrium metallic phases has been an area of great interest to the materials processing community since early 1960. Inherent rapid cooling rates in laser processing are being used to engineer non-equilibrium microstructures which cannot be rivaled by other processes. This lecture will discuss the phenomena involved and its application in designing materials with tailored properties. What is non-equilibrium Synthesis? This is a synthesis method to produce binary or higher order materials where kinetics of the pro cess affects the transport of the constituent elements during phase transformation resulting in a composition or crystallographic configuration which is different from what is observed when the elements arranges themselves with the lowest possible Gibbs Free energy, which is the equilibrium condition. Figure 1 illustrates the phenomena. Phase diagram under equilibrium condition is illustrated by the solid line whereas the no-equilibrium phase diagram is represented by the dotted line. One can observe the shrinkage of the phase field under non-equilibrium condition. Any alloy composition between the solidus lines of the equilibrium and non-equilibrium phase diagram will be a non equilibrium alloys with extended solid solution.

This volume brings together 47 papers from scientists involved in the fabrication of new nuclear fuels, in basic research of nuclear materials, their application and technology as well as in computer codes and modelling of fuel behaviour. The main emphasis is on progress in the development of non-oxide fuels besides reporting advances in the more conventional oxide fuels. The two currently performed large reactor safety programmes CORA and PHEBUS-FP are described in invited lectures. The contributions review basic property measurements, as well as the present state of fuel performance modelling. The performance of today's nuclear fuel, hence UO2, at high burnup is also reviewed with particular emphasis on the recently observed phenomenon of grain subdivision in the cold part of the oxide fuel at high burnup, the so-called "rim" effect. Similar phenomena can be simulated by ion implantation in order to better elucidate the underlying mechanism and reviews on high resolution electron microscopy provide further information. The papers will provide a useful treatise of views, ideas and new results for all those scientists and engineers involved in the specific questions of current nuclear waste management.