Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Division 

The formation of the Division was approved by the Board of Directors in February, 1992 with Dr. Richard Colton as the first chair. 

The Division Chairs were: 

As given in the Division Web page, the objectives of the Division are:

     to provide a continuing forum for the discussion of science involving nanometer-scale structures;

*           to foster technology transfer involving nanometer-scale structures; and

·                     to promote the dissemination of knowledge and development in these areas by the organization of meetings and symposia, and by publication of original works and critical reviews in proceedings, technical journals and books. 

At the 1988 AVS Symposium, J. Murday and R. Colton co-chaired a “Topical Conference on Probing the Nanometer Scale Properties of Surfaces and Interfaces” and they also co-chaired the “Topical Conference on Nanometer Scale Properties of Surfaces and Interfaces" at the 1989 Symposium.

 In 1995, the AVS organized the conference on “Scanning Tunneling Microscopy/Spectroscopy and Related Techniques” at Snowmass, CO; Richard Colton was the chair. The conference was actually in the series “Scanning Tunneling Microscopy/Spectroscopy Conference “ but the  name was augmented to reflect the growing role of force microscopy. The previous conference of the series to be held in the US was in 1990 in Baltimore, when it was co-titled STM/S and NANO I, in anticipation of the growth in nanoscience; J Murday was the chair. He recalls: 

 “For this meeting I wanted a remembrance of note.  I requested the science community to write the meeting logo in smallest letters possible.  Guntherodt (Basel) and Quate (Stanford) both came through – Guntherodt by creating a phase change in amorphous metal, Quate by chemical etch of holes in graphite – both with letters of about 35 nm high.  The images were transferred to coasters – they were very popular items.  There are samples on the table of the NRL technical director even today.   Several months later Eigler produced the IBM logo with single atoms – an order of magnitude smaller   (“Positioning Single Atoms with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope”, Eigler DM, Schweizer EK, Nature 344 (6266): 524-526 Apr 5 1990).” 

In 1994, NANO 2 was collocated with the AVS annual International Symposium in Denver; C Marrian was the chair. Nano 6 was collocated with the 2000 Symposium in Boston; J Weaver was the chair. AVS has been a sponsor for most of the STM and NANO international conferences, both in the US and elsewhere. 

The Nanotechnology Recognition Award was initiated in 2001 to recognizes members who have made outstanding scientific and technical contributions in the field of nano-scale structures. The winners have been 

2001- Nancy Burnham, Worcester Polytechnic Inst.

2002- No award

2003- No award 

The Division instituted travel awards for students to attend the AVS annual Symposium in 1992, but this ceased in 1999 with the introduction of the Dorothy M. and Earl S Hoffman Travel Grants.

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