"Version: 20151101"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

Preface -- 1. Introduction -- 1.1. Types of excitations or waves -- 1.2. Survey of types of nanostructures -- 1.3. Experimental techniques for dynamic properties -- 1.4. Theoretical methods for dynamic properties -- 1.5. Photonic band gaps in periodic structures

2. Phonons -- 2.1. Lattice dynamics for single surfaces and films -- 2.2. Elastic waves for single surfaces and films -- 2.3. Experimental studies -- 2.4. Phonons in multilayers and superlattices -- 2.5. Phononic crystals

3. Magnons -- 3.1. Regimes of magnetization dynamics -- 3.2. Exchange-dominated waves in films -- 3.3. Dipolar and dipole-exchange waves in films -- 3.4. Experimental results for films and bilayers -- 3.5. Magnetic wires and stripes -- 3.6. Magnetic superlattices -- 3.7. Magnonic crystals

4. Electronic and plasmonic excitations -- 4.1. Electronic surface states -- 4.2. Graphene sheets and ribbons -- 4.3. Bulk dielectric functions -- 4.4. 2D electron gas -- 4.5. Bulk-slab model for superlattice plasmons

5. Polaritons -- 5.1. Phonon-polaritons -- 5.2. Plasmon-polaritons -- 5.3. Magnon-polaritons -- 5.4. Other types of polaritons

6. Mixed excitations -- 6.1. Magnetoelastic waves -- 6.2. Piezoelectric waves -- 6.3. Ferroelectric materials -- 6.4. Multiferroic materials

7. Nonlinear dynamics of excitations -- 7.1. Fundamentals of optical and magnetic nonlinearities -- 7.2. Applications to non-magnetic low-dimensional systems -- 7.3. Applications to magnetic low-dimensional systems -- Appendix. Some mathematical topics.

The last few years have seen dramatic advances in the growth, fabrication and characterization of low-dimensional materials (such as graphene) and nanostructures (such as those formed from ultrathin films, wires, discs and other "dots"), formed either singly or in spatially periodic arrays. Most studies of these artificially engineered materials have been driven by their potential for device applications that involve smaller and smaller physical dimensions. In particular, the dynamical properties of these materials are of fundamental interest for the devices that involve high-frequency operation and/or switching. Consequently, the different excitations, vibrational, magnetic, optical, electronic, and so on, need to be understood from the perspective of how their properties are modified in finite structures especially on the nanometre length scale due to the presence of surfaces and interfaces. Recently, the patterning of nanoelements, into periodic and other arrays, has become a focus of intense activity, leading for example to photonic crystals and their analogues such as phononic and magnonic crystals where the control of the band gaps in the excitation spectrum is a basis for applications. The nonlinear properties of the excitations are increasingly a topic of interest, as well as the linear dynamics.

University and industrial-based researchers and graduate students in physics, chemistry, materials science and engineering.

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Michael G Cottam completed his degree in mathematics and physics at the University of Cambridge, and his PhD at the University of Oxford. Following a year working at the Plessey Research Laboratories he joined the faculty of physics at the University of Esses. In 1987 he moved to the University of Western Ontario where he is now a Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. His principal research field is in the quantum theory of condensed matter systems. Within this field, his current research projects focus on surface physics, nanomaterials science, and nonlinear processes in solids. The applications are mainly to the magnetic, optical and electronic properties of materials on the nanometre scale. Previous appointments at Western include being the Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Director of Western University's Institute for Nanomaterials Science (WINS), and the Associate Dean (for Research) in the Faculty of Science.

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