This book looks at advanced nanocomposites, introducing long-awaited concepts towards bridging the gap between nanostructured optical materials and next-generation imaging systems. It investigates nanocomposites as bulk optical materials and highlights the immense potential they hold for real-world optical elements and systems, such as smartphone cameras. It covers the full spectrum of nanocomposite optical materials from their fundamental properties to analytical modeling and detailed application examples. This book also provides an in-depth discussion of the role these new materials play in the development of broadband flat optics – diffractive optical elements used for enhancing high-end broadband imaging systems. Written by an industry expert, this book seamlessly connects fundamental research and real-world applications. It is the ideal guide both for optical engineers working towards integrating new technologies, and researchers involved with fundamental research on optical materials.

Daniel Werdehausen strives to bridge the gulf between academic research and industrial applications. To this end, he currently serves as a Project Manager in the “Corporate Research & Technology” department of ZEISS. Before taking on this role, he completed his doctoral research as Marie-Sklodowska-Curie fellow in a joint project of ZEISS and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. During his prior education Daniel Werdehausen worked extensively on both fundamental and applied research topics in different renowned institutions including the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart, and the University of Sydney. He also was awarded the Arthur-Fischer awards for one of the best combined Bsc. and Msc. degrees in Physics at the University of Stuttgart. In his free time, Daniel Werdehausen is a sports enthusiast and enjoys reading scientific literature and books from a wide range of different fields.