The current state of the art of various aspects of micro emulsion systems is reflected in this volume. Major topics discussed include: general background on solubilized systems, phase diagrams and phase equi libria, bicontinuous microemulsions, Winsor's phases, theories and models of complex self association structures, cry tical behaviour, phase tran sitions in lyotropic liquid crystals. I hope that this book will serve its intended objective of reflecting our current understanding of microemulsions both in theory and practice, and that it will be useful to researchers, both novices as well...

There is a consistent trend towards miniaturization of deviees and systems in many fields of engineering, in order to achieve significant reductions in size, weight, power consumption and cost. This trend is especially evident in optics and optoelectronics, where recent years have seen rapid growth in such new or renewed areas as rnicrooptics, integrated optics, integrated optoelectronics, and diffractive optics. In November 1996, an international group of scientists convened in Eriee, Sicily, for a meeting on the subject of "Diffractive Opties and Optieal Mierosystems." This Conference was...

Proceedings of the 22^nd Course of the International School of Quantum Electronics, held 27 November-2 December 1997, in Erice, Italy.
In recent years, fiber optical sensors and optical microsystems have assumed a significant role in sensing and measurement of many kinds. These optical techniques are utilised in a wide range of fields, including biomedicine, environmental sensing, mechanical and industrial measurement, and art preservation. This volume, an up-to-date survey of optical sensors and optical microsystems, aims at combining a tutorial foundation with analysis of...

Modern manufacturing industry is focusing its interests on the potential offered by the laser, in combination with other new technologies such as optical fibres, automation, computing and flexible manufacturing systems, to give new and powerful methods for non-destructive testing, in-process quality assurance, laser material processing and process control, and laser robotics.
The greatest opportunities for the laser are in those areas where flexibility, automation, CAD/CAM integration, precision, cost reduction, and time to market are important factors. The examples covered here are...

The NATO Advanced Study Institute "Biomedical Optical Instrumentation and Laser- Assisted Biotechnology" was held November 10-22, 1995 in Erice, Sicily. This was the 19 th conference organized by the International School of Quantum Electronics, under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Center for Scientific Culture. The contributions presented at the Institute are written as extended, review-like papers to provide a broad and representative coverage of the fields of laser techniques, optoelectronics systems for medical diagnosis, and light and laser applications to Biology and Medicine. The...

This volwne contains the Proceedings of a two-week summer conference titled "Advances in Integrated Optics" held June 1-9, 1993, in Erice, Sicily. This was the 18th annual course organized by the International School of Quantum Electronics, under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. The term Integrated Optics signifies guided-wave optical circuits consisting of two or more devices on a single substrate. Since its inception in the late 1960's, Integrated Optics has evolved from a specialized research topic into a broad field of work, ranging from basic research...

This volume contains the Proceedings of a two-week NATO A.S.I. on "Analytical Laser Spectroscopy," held from September 23 to October 3, 1982 in Erice, Italy. This is the 9th annual course of Inter- national School of Quantum Electronics organized under the auspices of the "E. Majorana" Center for Scientific Culture. The Advanced Study Institute has been devoted to the analytical applications of lasers in spectroscopy. Atomic and molecular spec- troscopy is one of the research fields in which the use of lasers has had a dramatic impact. New spectral information, difficult or impos- sible to...

This volume contains the proceedings of a two-week NATO A.S.I. on Integrated Optics: Physics and Applications, held from August 17 to August 30, 1981 in Erice, Italy. This is the 8th annual Course of the "International School of Quantum Electronics" presented under the auspices of the "E. Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. The subject was chosen in order to satisfy the demand for a course on integrated optics which is relevant to the expanding use of fiber optics for communication and signal processing. Integrated Optics, encompassing all of the optical waveguide circuits which are the...

The volume contains the proceedings of the 7th Course on Physics and Technology of Free Electron Lasers of the International School of Quantum Electronics, which was held in Erice (Italy) from 17 to 29 August 1980, under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. The level of this Course was much closer to a workshop than to a school, and "Advances in Free Electron Lasers" might have been an appropriate title. Many of the world's leading scientists in the field (among them, the inventor of FEL, J. M. J. Madey) were brought together to review the accomplishments of...

The recent developement of high power lasers, delivering femtosecond pulses of 20 2 intensities up to 10 W/cm, has led to the discovery of new phenomena in laser interactions with matter. At these enormous laser intensities, atoms, and molecules are exposed to extreme conditions and new phenomena occur, such as the very rapid multi photon ionization of atomic systems, the emission by these systems of very high order harmonics of the exciting laser light, the Coulomb explosion of molecules, and the acceleration of electrons close to the velocity of light. These phenomena generate new behaviour...