Solid State Communications is an international medium for the publication of short communications on significant developments in condensed matter science, giving scientists immediate access to important, recently completed work. The journal publishes original experimental and theoretical research on the physical and chemical properties of solids and other condensed systems and also on their preparation. The submission of manuscripts reporting research on the basic physics of materials science and devices, as well as of state-of-the-art microstructures and nanostructures, is encouraged. A coherent quantitative treatment emphasizing new physics is expected rather than a simple accumulation of experimental data. Consistent with these aims, the submitted manuscripts should be kept concise and short, usually not longer than four printed pages. The number of figures and tables should also be kept to a minimum. Instructions for the preparation of manuscripts appear in the first issue of each volume. Solid State Communications will also publish important initial results of ongoing research which should be referred to in more extensive papers being submitted elsewhere at a later date. It is strongly recommended that authors submit their manuscripts either to a local (or nearby) Editor or to one who is an expert in their field of endeavour.