The 57 papers update the status of characterization techniques that use synchrotron radiation since the previous symposium on the subject in the spring of 1996. The techniques considered include X-ray absorption and scattering, imaging, tomography, microscopy, and topographic methods. Among the materials are surfaces, interfaces, electronic materials, metal oxides, solar cells, thin films, carbides, polymers, alloys, nanoparticles, and graphitic materials. Some of the papers are doubled spaced. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.

This book, the fourth in a series from the Materials Research Society, follows the tradition of earlier volumes in the series and covers a broad range of topics relating to structure and dynamics under geometric restrictions. Emphasis is on methods of probing confined systems, diffusion in porous media, polymers and membranes, dielectric and mechanical relaxation in nanopores, rheology and friction studies of embedded liquids, and properties of dendrimer supermolecules. Participants from many varied disciplines share their points of view on the fundamental questions of how spatial restrictions modify a system to behave significantly different than in bulk, how this difference relates to the molecular properties, and how it can be probed.

This book covers the full spectrum of activity in the GaN and related materials arena. These semiconductors are finding applications in full-color displays, high-density information storage, white lighting for outdoor or backlit displays, solar-blind UV detectors, high-power/high-temperature electronics, and covert undersea communications. Progress is been reported in the growth of thick layers on patterned substrates by various methods, leading to lower overall defect concentrations and improved current-voltage and reliability characteristics. The rapidly increasing market for blue/green LEDs is also noted by the entry of a number of new companies to the field. While these emitter technologies continue to be dominated by MOCVD material, there are exciting reports of UV detectors and HFET structures grown by MBE with device performance at least as good as by MOCVD. Topics include: GaN electronic and photonic devices; laser diodes and spectroscopy; electronic devices and processing; quantum dots and processing; novel growth, doping and processing and rare-earth doping and optical emission.