Book excerpt: Advances in synthesis and characterization of dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric thin films are included in this volume. Dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric thin films have a tremendous impact on a variety of commercial and military systems including tunable microwave devices, memories, MEMS devices, actuators and sensors. Recent work on piezoelectric characterization, AFE to FE dielectric phase transformation dielectrics, solution and vapor deposited thin films, and materials integration are among the topics included. Novel approaches to nanostructuring, characterization of material properties and physical responses at the nanoscale also is included.