As we enter the nineties, there is worldwide awareness that the future of all mankind is inexorably linked by the world we share, and its response to man's activities. Lasers and the optical sciences have brought powerful tools to measure and understand our environment. LIDAR (laser radar) and laser fluorescence allow us to measure atmospheric and oceanic pollutants, as well as industrial emissions, from many kilometers distance. And a variety of sensitive laser-based spectroscopic techniques permit the accurate analysis of heavy metals and other trace elements in the environment. In...

This volume contains the Proceedings of a two-week NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Laser Systems for Photobiology and Photomedicine," conducted from May 11 to 20, 1990 in Erice, Italy. This is the 15th annual course of the International School of Quantum Electronics (ISQE), organized under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Center for Scientific Culture. The application of lasers to medicine and surgery has made amazing progress since the last ISQE Course on this subject in 1983. The present Proceedings give a tutorial introduction to today's most important areas, as well as a review of...

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...

Proceedings of the International School of Quantum Electronics 27th course on Bose Einstein Condensates and Atom Lasers, October 19-24, 1999, Erice, Italy.
Since the experimental demonstration of Bose Einstein Condensation in dilute atomic gases there has been an explosion of interest in the properties of this novel macroscopic quantum system. The book covers the methods used to produce these new samples of coherent atoms, their manipulation and the study of their properties. Emphasis is given to the anticipated development of new types of sources, which more and more resemble...

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute, Erice, Italy, May 10-20, 1986

The Nato Advanced Study Institute "Phase Transitions in Liquid Crystals" was held May 2-12, 1991, in Erice, Sicily. This was the 16th conference organized by the International School of Quantum Electronics, under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Centre for Scientific Culture. The subject of "Liquid Crystals" has made amazing progress since the last ISQE Course on this subject in 1985. The present Proceedings give a tutorial introduction to today's most important areas, as well as a review of current results by leading researchers. We have brought together some of the world's acknowledged...

The conference "Laser Science and Technology" was held May 11-19, 1987 in Erice, Sicily. This was the 12th conference organized by the Internatio- nal School of Quantum Electronics, under the auspices of the "Ettore Majorana" Center for Scientific Culture. This volume contains both the in- vited and contributed papers presented at the conference, covering current research work in two areas: new laser sources, and laser applications. The operation of the first laser by Dr. Theodore Maiman in 1960 initia- ted a decade of scientific exploration of new laser sources. This was fol- lowed by the...

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...