This is the first volume in a series of books on selected topics in Nanoscale Science and Technology based on lectures given at the well-known INFN schools of the same name. The aim of this collection is to provide a reference corpus of suitable, introductory material to relevant subfields, as they mature over time, by gathering the significantly expanded and edited versions of tutorial lectures, given over the years by internationally known experts. The present set of notes results in particular from the participation and dedication of prestigious lecturers, such as Vincenzo Balzani, Santina Carnazza, Andrea Salis Barbara Panessa-Warren and Stefano Bellucci. As usual, the lectures were subsequently carefully edited and reworked, taking into account the extensive follow-up discussions.