In the last decade, optically functionalized materials have developed rapidly, from bulk matters to structured forms. Now we have a rich variety of attractive advanced materials. They are applied to optical and electrical devices that support the information communication technology in the mid 21-th century. Accordingly, it is quite important to have a broad knowledge of the optical properties of advanced materials for students, scientists and engineers working in optics and related fields. This book is designed to teach fundamental optical properties of such advanced materials effectively. These materials have their own peculiarities which are very interesting in modern optical physics and also for applications because the concepts of optical properties are quite different from those in conventional optical materials. Hence each chapter starts to review the basic concepts of the materials briefly and proceeds to the practical use.
The important topics covered in this book include:  quantum structures of semiconductors, spintronics,  photonic crystals, surface plasmons in metallic nanostructures, photonic metamaterials, liquid crystal materials, organic LED materials and magnet-optics.

Quantum Structures of Advanced Materials.- Photonic Crystals.- Surface Plasmons.- Photonic Metamaterials.- Materials for Magnetic Materials and Spintronics.- Modern Liquid Crystals.- Materials for Organic LED.- Optical Characterization of Advanced Materials.

About the Key Authors:Y. Aoyagi:1970-1972: Visiting Scientist of Japanese Society of Promotion of Science(JSPS) in Osaka University1972-1988: Research Scientist of Semiconductors Lab. in The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)1985-1988: Deputy Director of the same above1988-2003: Director of the same above2000-2007: Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology2007- : Professor of Ritsumeikan University2003-2007: Team Leader of Nano science Program in RIKEN2003- : Emeritus Chief Scientist of RIKEN2007- : Emeritus Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology1989-1992: Visiting Professor of Osaka University1999-2002 Visiting Professor of Tokyo Science University1996-1997: Visiting Professor of Lund University (Sweden)1999-2000: Visiting Professor of Hokkaido University1999- : Visiting Professor of Toyo University1999-2000: Visiting Professor of Tokyo Institute of Technology2004-2005: Visiting Professor of Tohoku University2005-2006: Visiting Professor of Nagoya University2007- : Visiting Professor of Osaka Institute of Technology

K. Kajikawa:2008-present: Professor, Department of Electronics and Applied Physics, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology2002-2006 Researcher, PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)

1999-2007 Associate Professor, Department of Information Processing, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology