The papers included in this issue of ECS Transactions were originally presented in the symposium ¿Physics and Chemistry of Luminescent Materials, including the 4th Symposium on Persistent Phosphors¿, held during the PRiME 2008 joint international meeting of The Electrochemical Society and The Electrochemical Society of Japan, with the technical cosponsorship of the Japan Society of Applied Physics, the Korean Electrochemical Society, the Electrochemistry Division of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, and the Chinese Society of Electrochemistry. This meeting was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, from October 12 to 17, 2008.

In recent decades, luminescent nanomaterials have generated great interest in the scientific community due to their unique properties, which are different from those of their bulk counterparts, and their use in a wide variety of applications. Today, luminescent nanomaterials are used in a number of applications such as displays, solid-state lighting, solar cells, long afterglow, dosimetry, theft prevention, medical imaging, phototherapy, and quantum and gas sensing. This book presents cutting-edge research from experts in the field of synthesis and characterization of luminescent nanomaterials and their potential applications. It covers interesting topics in semiconductor physics, photochemistry, physical chemistry, materials science, and luminescence, and will be useful for beginners and advanced researchers interested in this field.

Everyone starting work in this field is faced with the lack of basic books. Here, two renowned researchers introduce the reader to luminescence and its applications, describing the principles of the luminescence processes in a clear way and dealing not only with physics, but also with the chemistry of systems. Particular attention is paid to materials such as lamp phosphors, cathode-ray and X-ray phosphors, scintillators and many other applications.

Luminescence, for example, as fluorescence, bioluminescence, and phosphorescence, can result from chemical changes, electrical energy, subatomic motions, reactions in crystals, or stimulation of an atomic system. This subject continues to have a major technological role for humankind in the form of applications such as organic and inorganic light emitters for flat panel and flexible displays such as plasma displays, LCD displays, and OLED displays. Luminescent Materials and Applications describes a wide range of materials and applications that are of current interest including organic light emitting materials and devices, inorganic light emitting diode materials and devices, down-conversion materials, nanomaterials, and powder and thin-film electroluminescent phosphor materials and devices. In addition, both the physics and the materials aspects of the field of solid-state luminescence are presented. Thus, the book may be used as a reference to gain an understanding of various types and mechanisms of luminescence and of the implementation of luminescence into practical devices. The book is aimed at postgraduate students (physicists, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, materials scientists, and engineers) and researchers in industry, for example, at lighting and display companies and academia involved in studying conduction in solids and electronic materials. It will also provide an excellent starting point for all scientists interested in luminescent materials. Finally it is hoped that this book will not only educate, but also stimulate further progress in this rapidly evolving field.

Lanthanide-Doped Luminescent Nanomaterials reviews the latest advances in the development of lanthanide-doped luminescent inorganic nanoparticles for potential bioapplications. This book covers the chemical and physical fundamentals of these nanoparticles, such as the controlled synthesis methodology, surface modification chemistry, optical physics, and their promising applications in diverse bioassays, with an emphasis on heterogeneous and homogeneous in-vitro biodetection of tumor biomarkers. This book is intended for those readers who are interested in systematically understanding the materials design strategy, optical behavior of lanthanide ions, and practical bioapplications of lanthanide nanoparticles. It primarily focuses on the interdisciplinary frontiers in chemistry, physics and biological aspects of luminescent nanomaterials. All chapters were written by scientists active in this field and for a broad audience, providing both beginners and advanced researchers with comprehensive information on the subject. Xueyuan Chen is a Professor at Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter (FJIRSM), Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yongsheng Liu is a Research Associate Professor at FJIRSM, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Datao Tu is a Research Assistant Professor at FJIRSM, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Photoluminescence spectroscopy is an important approach for examining the optical interactions in semiconductors and optical devices with the goal of gaining insight into material properties. With contributions from researchers at the forefront of this field, Handbook of Luminescent Semiconductor Materials explores the use of this technique to stud

Luminescence of Solids gathers together much of the latest work on luminescent inorganic materials and new physical phenomena. The volume includes chapters covering -- the achievements that have led to the establishment of the fundamental laws of luminescence -- light sources, light-dispersing elements, detectors, and other experimental techniques -- models and mechanisms -- materials preparation, and -- future trends. This international collection of cutting-edge luminescence research is complemented by over 170 illustrations that bring to life the text's many vital concepts.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience. Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths is a continuous series of books covering all aspects of rare earth science, including chemistry, life sciences, materials science, and physics. The main emphasis of the handbook is on rare earth elements [Sc, Y and the lanthanides (La through Lu)], but whenever relevant, information is also included on the closely related actinide elements. The individual chapters are comprehensive, broad, up-to-date, critical reviews written by highly experienced invited experts. The series, which was started in 1978 by Professor Karl A. Gschneidner Jr., combines and integrates both the fundamentals and applications of these elements, now publishing two volumes a year. - Individual chapters are comprehensive, broad, critical reviews on the topic of rare earths - Contributions are written by highly experienced, invited experts - Up-to-date overviews of developments in the field - Includes update on many of the closely related actinide elements