Applications of xafs to nanostructures and materials science

I will firstly illustrate the role and the characteristics of XAFS as a probe of the local structure in materials and nano science. I will then provide a brief review of the use of the method in these fields, basing the discussion both on results which have stood the test of time and recent papers. Specifically, I will discuss dopants and defect complexes in semiconductors, bulk and heterostructure semiconductor alloys, phase transitions, highly correlated oxides, thin films and interfaces, semiconductor quantum dots and metallic clusters.