Organic Inorganic Hybrid Materials 2002 Volume 726

Interest in hybrid materials has grown substantially as researchers recognize that the ability to tailor the organization of organic/inorganic composites at nanometer length scales provides access to materials with properties nonlinearly related to the bulk properties of the individual components. Efforts to tailor nanostructure through the design, synthesis and processing of nanocomponents and the investigation of intermediate and final properties have intensified, driven in part by the roadmap that guides miniaturization in the electronics and photonics industries. This book creates a forum for researchers involved in the synthesis, characterization, processing and properties analysis of organic/inorganic hybrid materials to develop ideas and points of view. Topics include: well-defined nanobuilding blocks-precursors for hybrids; strategies to functional lamellar hybrid materials; chemical strategies for the design of new hybrids; biomaterials, biogels and biomimetic approaches of materials; templated growth to nano/meso/macrostructured hybrid materials; advanced processing for hybrid materials; processing and properties of functional hybrids (optical, electrical and mechanical) and properties of hybrids (optical, electrical, mechanical and catalysis).

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

Sol-Gel Techniques for Glass Producers and Users provides technological information, descriptions and characterizations of prototypes, or products already on the market, and illustrates advantages and disadvantages of the sol-gel process in comparison to other methods. The first chapter entitled "Wet Chemical Technology" gives a summary of the basic principles of the sol-gel chemistry. The most promising applications are related to coatings. Chapter 2 describes the various "Wet Chemical Coating Technologies" from glass cleaning to many deposition and post-coating treatment techniques. These include patterning of coatings through direct or indirect techniques which have became very important and for which the sol-gel processing is particularly well adapted. Chapter 3 entitled "Bulk Glass Technologies" reports on the preparation of special glasses for different applications. Chapter 4 entitled "Coatings and Materials Properties" describes the properties of the different coatings and the sol-gel materials, fibers and powders. The chapter also includes a section dedicated to the characterization techniques especially applied to sol-gel coatings and products.

Since its inception in the mid-twentieth century, solid-state chemistry has matured within the chemical sciences. In the same way that chemistry itself is considered a central science, solid-state chemistry is central in its many relations to physics, in particular to solid-state physics and also to materials science and engineering. There are few problems in materials science or engineering in which the preparation of the material itself is not a central issue and, more often than not, this will be a solid-state chemical problem. For these reasons, it is not surprising that in the technological development of the last century, solid-state chemistry has grown in importance. It is not only a synthesis science, it is also the science of structures, defects, stoichiometry, and physical chemical properties. Most of these are explored in the book. Topics include: metal-to-insulator transition; porous materials; dielectric materials; nanomaterials; synthesis of materials; films and catalytic materials; CMR materials; thermoelectric materials; dielectrics, catalysts, phosphors, films and properties and synthesis and crystal growth.

Advances in silicon carbide materials, processing and device design have recently resulted in implementation of SiC-based electronic systems and offer great promise in high-voltage, high-temperature and high-frequency applications. This volume focuses on new developments in basic science of SiC materials as well as rapidly maturing device technologies. The challenges in this field include understanding and decreasing defect densities in bulk SiC crystals, controlling morphology and residual impurities in epilayers, optimization of implant activation and oxide-SiC interfaces, and developing novel device structures. This book brings together the crystal growers, physicists and device experts needed to continue the rapid pace of silicon-carbide-based technology. Topics include: epitaxial growth; characterization/defects; MOS technology; SiC processing and devices.

This year's nitride symposium showed the scope of nitride-related advances spanning basic materials physics over process technology to high-performance devices. Progress was reported in bulk growth of GaN and AlN, growth on various substrates and substrate orientations, optical properties of InN, defect and doping analysis of p-doped GaN, and polarization properties. These led to new performance records in visible light emitter technology, i.e., higher efficiency/higher brightness, UV emitters with shorter wavelength, and UV and photo detectors. Advances in the development of nitride-based electronic devices with new heterostructure FET designs for RF power applications, including those on Si substrates and wafer fusion, are also reported. This book captures the exciting developments in this rapidly progressing field. Topics include: epitaxy - devices and defect reduction; defects and characterization; epitaxy - nonpolar orientations and alloys; optical properties; UV emitters and detectors; visible light emitters; electronic devices; characterization of defects and transport; and contacts, processing and p-type nitrides.

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