Welcome to the AVS 54th International Symposium & Exhibition!

As you peruse the program for the 54th AVS International Symposium and Exhibition you will note a couple of themes.

First, a central and defining theme of the AVS Program is surfaces/interfaces. Much of the technical program deals with the state-of-the-art science and technology of measurement, manipulation and processing/deposition of material interfaces and surfaces. The program covers the gamut of fundamental concepts and properties of surfaces/interfaces to methods and processes in manufacturing and devices. It covers biological materials to solid state electronics; it covers friction and wear in ambient conditions to thin film plasma deposition in a vacuum environment.

The second prevailing theme of the Symposium is Nano Science and Technology. As one moves to nanoscale materials and processes, surface and interface properties play a dominant role. Consequently, it is no surprise that much of the program encompasses various aspects of Nano Science and Technology. Nor is it a surprise that the AVS Program is (and has been for two decades) one of the premier venues for Nano programming. This year’s program continues the emphasis on Nano.

The third theme, which has evolved from the roots of the AVS in vacuum science and technology, is the use of controlled environments – from vacuum, to plasmas, to biological systems – for quantitative measurements and processing of materials interfaces. Today, one can find the use of controlled environments and measurements being applied to a spectrum of in vacuo, in situ, in operando, and in vivo systems in the AVS program.

In addition to the core AVS technical program, this year’s Symposium has some special programming. Five topical conferences (In situ Microscopy, Marine Biofouling, Nano-Manufacturing, Neutron Scattering, and Plasmonics) and two featured topics (Tribology and the BioInterfaces Plenary session on Global Health Technologies.) will run concurrent with the Symposium. Also, the American Institute of Physics’ Industrial Physics Forum (IPF) will be co-located with the AVS Symposium. The theme of this year’s IPF is “The Energy Challenge.” The program will augment sessions on energy in the core program. Given the importance of energy – its harvesting, storage and use – to our daily lives, this will be a must attend event.

We look forward to conferring with you in Seattle!

 

Thomas P. Beebe, Jr. Vice-Program Chair University of Delaware	John N. Russell, Jr. Program Chair Naval Research Laboratory	Bridget R. Rogers Vice-Program Chair Vanderbilt University

MAJOR Symposium Sponsors