This extended and revised edition of the successful German version is a clearly structured and easily readable introduction, written by an experienced author with sound knowledge of experimental synthesis and analysis of nanostructures. Developed from courses on nanophysics and nanotechnology, this textbook covers the fundamental physics of nanostructures, methods of growth and manipulation, characterization methods with a focus on optical analyzing methods and nanooptics, a discussion of nano-architectures and the latest applications in optics, electronics, quantum computers, molecular nanostructures, biology and soft matter. This edition also includes an expanded discussion of quantum and classical effects as well as magnetic nanostructures. With its wide range of problems to test the reader's understanding, it is primarily aimed at graduate students with a basic knowledge of solid state physics, but can be equally used as a reference for professionals in physics, chemistry and materials science working on nanosystems, soft matter or biophysical matters.