Abstract

Interfaces are important locations for an enormous variety of physical, chemical and biological processes. Although surface science studies are usually performed on flat interfaces under controlled environments, in reality most interfaces are part of complex (soft matter) systems, such as cell membranes, emulsions or grains in solid materials.

In the last decades it has become possible to address structural and dynamical questions relating to flat interfaces under ambient conditions, by probing them with nonlinear optical techniques. If one combines light scattering with nonlinear optical processes it is now becoming possible to go one step further: Interfaces of dispersed particles can be investigated in situ.

In this colloquium I will introduce nonlinear optical scattering, highlight new possibilities that are becoming available and show some of the latest developments.