Optical methods for investigating semiconductors and the theoretical description of optical processes have always been an important part of semiconductor physics. Only the emphasis placed on different materials changes with time. Here, a large number of papers are devoted to quantum dots, presenting the theory, spectroscopic investigation and methods of producing such structures. Another major part of the book reflects the growing interest in diluted semiconductors and II-IV nanosystems in general.
There are also discussions of the fascinating field of photonic crystals. `Classical' low dimensional systems, such as GsAs/GaAlAs quantum wells and heterostructures, still make up a significant part of the results presented, and they also serve as model systems for new phenomena. New materials are being sought, and new experimental techniques are coming on stream, in particular the combination of different spectroscopic modalities.

Zusammenfassung
Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Jaszowiec, Poland, 12-16 June 1999

Inhalt
I Two-dimensional electron systems.- Near-field spectroscopy of a gated electron gas.- Two-dimensional electron-hole systems in a strong magnetic field.- A Far Infrared Modulated Photoluminescence (FIRM-PL) study of a 2-D electron Gas in GaAs/AlGai_XAs Heterojunctions and Quantum Wells.- Magneto-optical properties and potential fluctuations in high mobility 2-D electron gas.- Spectrum shape analysis of magnetoreflectivity and magnetorotation of polarisation plane of light reflected from GaAs/AlGaAs MQW's in the quantum Hall regime.- Magnetic field induced insulating phase in two-dimensional electron gas in InGaAs/InP with strong disorder.- Optical properties of bound polarons in quantum wells.- Second harmonic generation in asymmetric quantum wells: the role of depolarisation and excitonic-like effects.- Optical absorption and carrier transmission in heterostructures.- Optical investigation of coupled GaAs/A10.3Gap BAs double quantum wells separated by AlAs barriers.- Optical and related properties of the synthetic quasi-two-dimensional semiconductors K2Cd3S4, Rb2Cd3S4 and Cs2Cd3S4.- II Excitons and Polaritons.- Internal transitions of neutral and negatively charged magnetoexcitons in GaAs nanostructures: the importance of symmetry.- Tailoring of spin-dependent excitonic interaction in quantum wells by an electric field.- Exciton condensation.- Coherent response to optical pulses in quantum wells.- High density two-dimensional electron-hole plasmas in quantising magnetic fields.- Recombination dynamics of negatively charged excitons in gated GaAs quantum wells.- Excitons in the two-dimensional hole gas at the Alp 5Ga0 5As/GaAs interface.- Photoreflectance study of GaAs/AlAs single quantum well structures.- Landau level mixing in asymmetric quantum wells.- Microcavities with 3D Optical Confinement.- Spontaneous emission control in InxGa 1 -xAs/GaAs planar microcavities with DBR reflectors.- III Diluted magnetic semiconductors and other II-VI structures.- Ferromagnetic semiconductors and their nanostructures: new opportunities and challenges.- Magnetooptical studies of magnetic ordering in modulation doped quantum well of Cd1-xMnXTe.- Magnetooptical properties of graded quantum well structures made of diluted magnetic semiconductors.- Dynamic self-polarisation of magnetic impurity spins under optical pumping by unpolarised light in semiconductors.- Coherent spin dynamics in diluted-magnetic quantum wells.- Non-magnetic magnetic polaron.- Semimagnetic semiconductors in studies of charged excitons.- Far infrared response of CdTe structures on GaAs substrates.- Combined exciton-electron processes in modulation doped quantum well structures.- A new opportunity of probing lateral distortions in quantum wells.- Magneto-reflection in CdMnTe/CdTe multiple quantum wells.- IV Quantum dots.- Optical properties of quantum dots.- The Stark effect and electron-hole wavefunctions in InAs-GaAs self-assembled quantum dots.- Interband optics of charge-tunable quantum dots.- Optical charging of self-assembled InAs quantum dots.- Optical properties of coloidally synthesised II-VI semiconductor nanocrystals.- Photoluminescence from InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots in a high electric field.- Homogeneous linewidth of optical transitions and electronic energy relaxation in quantum dots.- Raman spectroscopy of exciton-acoustic phonon coupling in semiconductor nanocrystals.- Excitons in quantum-dot quantum well structures.- Fine structure of excitons and the Overhauser effect in quantum dots.- List of participants.- Author Index.