This book compiles reviews of both fundamental and applied research in physics and materials science, focusing on the existence, formation mechanisms, and artificial synthesis of versatile, nature-inspired crystals. It aims to highlight the development and application of advanced crystals with novel polymorphism and microtextures, resulting in the innovation of completely new and unexpected functionality. The book encompasses five main topics; the first three focus on fundamental research in mineralogy in the areas of polymorphism and microtexture in biological environments, crystallographic structure, and nucleation and growth. The last two parts address applied research devoted to microtexture and polymorphism in electronics and photonics applications.

The featured topics comprise contributions from international groups of active researchers in the field. The book is a valuable tool for a wide readership ranging from graduate students to researchers and engineers. The broad coverage of topics is attractive to readers from diverse fields including crystal engineering, drug development, electronic materials, electronic devices, and mineralogy.

Autorentext

Fumitaro Ishikawa is a professor at the Research Center for Integrated Quantum Electronics at Hokkaido University, Japan. He received his doctoral degree from Hokkaido University in 2004. Following his role as a visiting scientist at the Paul Drude Institute in Germany, he was appointed as an assistant professor at Osaka University in 2007. In 2013, he became an associate professor at Ehime University and has served in his current position since 2022. His research focuses on the molecular beam epitaxial growth of compound semiconductor nanostructures.

Hiroaki Ohfuji is a professor at the Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Japan. He received his doctoral degree from Cardiff University, UK, in 2005 and started his career as a research associate at the Geodynamics Research Center, Ehime University. He then worked as an assistant, associate, and full professor there, and moved to his current position in 2020. His research interests are in the crystallization and self-organization mechanism of natural/synthetic minerals and microtexture analysis using electron microscopy.

Jun Kawano is an associate professor at the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Japan. He received his doctoral degree from Kyoto University in 2003. Prior to his current position, he served as a lecturer at Yamanashi Prefectural Institute of Gemology and Jewelry Art in 2005, a researcher at the Gemological Association of All Japan in 2007, a research associate and a research assistant professor at the Research Institute for Applied Mechanics, Kyushu University, in 2010, and an assistant professor at the Creative Research Institution, Hokkaido University, in 2011, beginning his current position in 2016. His research interests include the growth/dissolution mechanisms of minerals and biomineralization.

Tetsuya Tohei is an associate professor at the Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Japan. He received his doctoral degree from Kyoto University in 2006. After serving as a researcher at Kyoto University and specially appointed researcher at the University of Tokyo in 2007, he was appointed as an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo in 2011, and reached his current position in 2017. His research interests are nano and atomistic-scale analysis of oxides and other inorganic materials and application for new electronic devices.