Description

Since their inception more than 2.5 years ago, photon correlation techniques for the spatial, temporal or spectral analysis of fluctuating light fields have found an ever-widening range of applications. Using detectors which re- spond to single quanta of the radiation field, these methods are intrinsically digital in natnre and in many experimental situations offer a unique degree of accuracy and sensitivity, not only for the study of primary light sources themselves, but most particularly in the use of a laser-beam probe to study light scattering from pure fluids, macromolecular suspensions and laminar or turbulent flowing fluids and gases. Following the earliest developments in laser scattering by dilute macro- nl01ecular suspensions, in, ... hich particle sizing was the main aim, and the use of photon correlation techniques for laser-Doppler studies of flow and tnrbuence. both of which areas were the subject of NATO ASls in Capri, Italy in 19; 3 and 19;6. significant advances have be('n made in recent years in many other areas. These were reflected in the topics covered in this NATO Advanced Research Workshop, which took place from August 2;th to 30th, 1!)!}6, at the Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland. These in- cluded ('xperimental techniques. statist.ics and data reduction, colloids and aggregation, polymers, gels, liquid crystals and mixtures, protein solutions, critical pllf'nomena and dense media.