Materials science has assumed a key position for new technological dev- opments, and is therefore strongly supported by industry and governments. Nowadays it occupies a bridging position between physics, chemistry and - gineering and extends from basic science in physics and chemistry on the atomic scale to large-scale applications in industry. The increasing number of materials science study courses at universities underlines the present and future importance of understanding and developing materials for the future. The contributions to this book evolved from the lectures of such a course,...