Soft-Matter Characterization

This 2 volume 4-part set includes extensive discussions of scattering techniques (light, neutron and X-ray) and related fluctuation and grating techniques that are at the forefront of this field. Most of the scattering techniques are Fourier space techniques. Recent advances have seen the development of powerful direct imaging methods such as atomic force microscopy and scanning probe microscopy. In addition, techniques that can be used to manipulate soft matter on the nanometer scale are also in rapid development. These include the scanning probe microscopy technique mentioned above as well as optical and magnetic tweezers.

This will appeal to soft matter scientists at the graduate level and above, condensed matter physicists, chemists, biologists, medical doctors and engineers.

Redouane Borsali is Director of Research at the LCPO, a Polymer Research CNRS Laboratory, associated with the University of Bordeaux, France. He studied Physics at the University of Tlemcen, Algeria and received his Masters and Ph.D. in Polymer Physics at the Institute Charles Sadron (Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France) in 1988. After his postdoctoral research position at the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research (MPI-P) at Mainz, Germany in 1990 he joined the CNRS (Grenoble, France). In 1995, he spent a sabbatical leave at Stanford University and at IBM Almaden Research Center, CA, USA as a visiting scientist. He joined the LCPO in 2000 as the Polymer Physical-Chemistry Group Leader. His main research activities are focused on the study of the Structure, Dynamics and Self-assemblies of "Soft Matter" and particularly on Controlled Architecture Polymers such as block copolymers, polymer mixtures, polyelectrolytes, micelles, vesicles and rod-like particles. He is the author or co-author of over 110 research articles and two books.

Robert Pecora is Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University, USA. He received his A.B., A.M. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University, USA. After postdoctoral work at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium and Columbia University he joined the Stanford University faculty in 1964. His research interests are in the areas of condensed phase dynamics of small molecules, macromolecules and colloids of both materials and biological interest. He is one of the major developers of the dynamic light scattering technique and has used many of the other techniques described in these volumes. His research emphasis is now on liquids near the glass transition, rigid rod polymers, polyelectrolytes and composite liquids. He is the author or co-author of over 130 research articles and five books.