Kondo effect and dephasing in low-dimensional metallic systems

The availability of nanolithographic tools and new spectroscopies (scanning tunneling microscope, mechanically controllable break junctions) has opened the possibility of directly probing the Kondo effect on the relevant mesoscopic size scale. This book brings together the major progress that has been made during the past few years on low-dimensional Kondo systems. Apart from size effects in dilute magnetic alloys, the book focuses on the two-channel Kondo effect to describe two-level systems which influence the electron transport through metallic nanobridges and cause dephasing in disordered metal films. It also reveals how quantum dots can be used as perfectly tunable Kondo systems.