These Proceedings report the scholarly work presented in Leningrad at the largest conference ever held on luminescence. In addition to the large number of delegates, the Conference was dis tinguished by strong and balanced representation on the program of papers from capitalist and socialist nations. The Conference was sponsored by the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and by the Academy of Science of the USSR. As noted in the Opening Ceremony, this Conference is in the series held approximately every three years since 1938. All branches of luminescence are included. It was recognized, during the early stages of organization of the Conference, that there would be difficulties associated with the preparation of an English version of the Proceedings. Until just before the Conference, it was not evident whether translations of the Russian papers would be available and whether facilities would exist at the Conference for a working publication committee to edit the manuscripts. It was not possible, therefore, to make contractual arrangements before the Conference for publication.

The author attempts to present in a condensed form the fundamentals of the physics of luminescence. He presents his own views on the subject. The book is divided into the following main sections:

The principal results of the work are as follows: 1. A simplified technique was devised for obtaining Raman spectra of powders. 2. The Raman and infrared absorption spectra of the following oxides were investigated: AsP3' SbP3' As 0 - SbP5. Te02. Ge02 (two forms) in the crystalline state, and ASP3' Ge02' Te0 in the glassy state. 2 5 2 3. The vibrational spectra of the crystalline and glassy forms of the oxides ASP3' Ge02' Te02 are simi lar in many main respects, indicating a similarity of their structural units which determine the vibrational spec tra of these substances. 4. By a study of the vibrational spectrum it was shown that arsenious anhydride has a molecular structure and consists of As0 molecules having symmetry of the point group Td' The force constants and vibration fre 4 6 quencies of the As 0 molecule were calculated. and the vibrational spectrum of arsenious anhydride was re 4 6 liably interpreted with the aid of these results. 5. A similar result was obtained for antimonous anhydride. consisting of Sb0 molecule.s with symmetry 4 6 ofthe point group Td. The force constants for this molecule were found and the vibrational spectrum was calculated.

Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage of progress in the major areas of chemical research. Written by experts in their specialist fields the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, supplying regular critical in-depth accounts of progress in particular areas of chemistry. For over 80 years the Royal Society of Chemistry and its predecessor, the Chemical Society, have been publishing reports charting developments in chemistry, which originally took the form of Annual Reports. However, by 1967 the whole spectrum of chemistry could no longer be contained within one volume and the series Specialist Periodical Reports was born. The Annual Reports themselves still existed but were divided into two, and subsequently three, volumes covering Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. For more general coverage of the highlights in chemistry they remain a 'must'. Since that time the SPR series has altered according to the fluctuating degree of activity in various fields of chemistry. Some titles have remained unchanged, while others have altered their emphasis along with their titles; some have been combined under a new name whereas others have had to be discontinued. The current list of Specialist Periodical Reports can be seen on the inside flap of this volume.

This book describes a unique combination of quantum chemical methods for calculating the basic physical properties of luminescent materials, or phosphors. These solid inorganic materials containing an optically active dopant are key players in several major fields of societal interest, including energy-efficient lighting, solar cells, and medical imaging. The novel ab initio methods described in this book are especially designed to target the crowded and complex electronic excited states of lanthanide activators in inorganic solids. The book is well suited to both new and experienced researchers alike and appeals to a broad range of theoretical and experimental backgrounds. The material presented enables an adept understanding of elaborate calculations, which, in tandem with experiments, give essential insight into difficult luminescence problems and quandaries, thus fully preparing the reader for an educated search for new functional luminescent materials

“... the book does an excellent job of putting together several different classes of materials. Many common points emerge, and the book may facilitate the development of hybrids in which the qualities of the “parents” are enhanced.” –Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011 With applications in optoelectronics and photonics, quantum information processing, nanotechnology and data storage, molecular materials enrich our daily lives in countless ways. These materials have properties that depend on their exact structure, the degree of order in the way the molecules are aligned and their crystalline nature. Small, delicate changes in molecular structure can totally alter the properties of the material in bulk. There has been increasing emphasis on functional metal complexes that demonstrate a wide range of physical phenomena. Molecular Materials represents the diversity of the area, encapsulating magnetic, optical and electrical properties, with chapters on: Metal-Based Quadratic Nonlinear Optical Materials Physical Properties of Metallomesogens Molecular Magnetic Materials Molecular Inorganic Conductors and Superconductors Molecular Nanomagnets Structured to include a clear introduction, a discussion of the basic concepts and up-to-date coverage of key aspects, each chapter provides a detailed review which conveys the excitement of work in that field. Additional volumes in the Inorganic Materials Series: Low-Dimensional Solids | Molecular Materials | Porous Materials | Energy Materials

Fluorescence spectroscopy and its applications to the physical and life sciences have evolved rapidly during the past decade. The increased interest in fluorescence appears to be due to advances in time resolution, methods of data analysis, and improved instrumentation. With these advances, it is now practical to perform time-resolved measurements with enough resolution to compare the results with the structural and dynamic features of mac- molecules, to probe the structures of proteins, membranes, and nucleic acids, and to acquire two-dimensional microscopic images of chemical or protein distributions in cell cultures. Advances in laser and detector technology have also resulted in renewed interest in fluorescence for clinical and analytical chemistry. Because of these numerous developments and the rapid appearance of new methods, it has become difficult to remain current on the science of fluorescence and its many applications. Consequently, I have asked the experts in particular areas of fluorescence to summarize their knowledge and the current state of the art. This has resulted in the initial two volumes of Topics in Fluorescence Spectroscopy, which is intended to be an ongoing series which summarizes, in one location, the vast literature on fluorescence spectroscopy. The third volume will appear shortly. The first three volumes are designed to serve as an advanced text. These volumes describe the more recent techniques and technologies (Volume 1), the principles governing fluorescence and the experimental observables (Volume 2), and applications in biochemistry and biophysics (Volume 3).