A HISTORY OF THE GREATER NEW YORK CHAPTER (THIN
FILMS ) OF THE AMERICAN VACUUM SOCIETY
 

Prepared by Milton Ohring (September 2002)

The Greater New York Chapter of the American Vacuum Society was founded in the late
1960s in response to the quiet revolution that was occurring in thin film science and technology,
particularly in its applications to microelectronics. Well before Silicon Valley blossomed in
Northern California much of the fundamental research in microelectronics was conducted at the
three most prominent corporate research laboratories in the United States, namely AT &T Bell
Telephone Laboratories (Muuay Hill, NJ), IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center (Yorktown
Heights, NY) and RCA David Sarnoff Research Center (Princeton, NJ). Through conversations
among staff members primarily from these three laboratories at an early Gordon conference
devoted to thin films, the idea germinated for a local chapter of the American Vacuum Society
that would air research advances in thin films and surface science. Among the early founders of
the chapter were Bob Marcus of Bell Labs, Peter Mark of Princeton University, Jules Levine of
RCA and P. Beaudonin of IBM. In succeeding years the chapter grew in membership and
leadership resided in such people as John Vossen and Charles Magee of RCA, Bob Rosenberg
and Jerry Cuomo of IBM, Alan English and Joe Mogab of Bell Labs, and Bil Loeb of Union
Carbide. John Vossen should be singled out in this regard for his active involvement and
multifaceted leadership of the chapter over a period of more than 15 years.

For nearly a quarter of a century the Greater New York Chapter provided an important
service to both the local as well as broader scientific community. In general two or three
symposia a year were sponsored by the chapter and these were primarily, but not exclusively,
held in the auditoriums of the three laboratories on a rotating basis. As noted in the appended
material, symposia topics dealt with cutting edge science and technology. No expense was spared
to have leaders in the field as speakers; more than occasionally these were colleagues of chapter
committee members. The audience consisted largely of staff associated with these laboratories,
but faculty members and students from local universities as well as attendees from other
industries were welcomed. Full as well as half day symposia were scheduled. Speakers and
chapter committee members will no doubt happily recall the often sumptuous dinners following
the symposia. All of the expenses were borne by the chapter treasury which, in cyclical fashion,
shrank in preparing for symposia and then swelled after the modest symposia fees were collected.
Because there were symposia that occasionally lost money, the chapter bank account never
exceeded a few thousand dollars. In addition to the activities noted above some of the practical
reasons for the great success of the chapter include:

I. It was run by professionals who were respected members of the research and

development community.

2. The chapter had the administrative backing of the three laboratories. Thus local
arrangements involving auditorium use, parking space, dining facilities for lunch, and conference
rooms for chapter committee meetings were considerably facilitated.

3. Attendance at symposia was greatly eased by the large potential audience derived from
captive employees at any given site.

4. The three primary laboratories were located within a radius of approximately 40 miles
with New York City at its center. Thus committee members and symposia audiences were thus
only engaged for the day with no need to seek overnight accommodations.

5. The chapter provided a convenient mechanism for the relaxed exchange of ideas and
airing of common problems within the thin film community..

There were several additional activities carried out by the chapter that are worthy of note.
Due to their importance and quality, the contents of several symposia were published in issues of
the Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. These also appeared as thin, hard-covered,
bound proceedings of the Annual Symposium of the Greater New York Chapter of the AVS.
Specific symposia included:

Proceedings of the Symposium: New Developments in Film and Device Fabrication, May
18, 1971.,  also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 8(5) S5 (1971).

Proceedings of the Symposium: Memory Materials and Devices, May 1, 1972. ,

also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 9(4) 1135 (1972).

Proceedings of the Symposium: Display Materials and Devices, May 3, 1973.
also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 10(5) 761 (1973).

Proceedings of the Symposium: Electronic and Structural Properties of Interfaces, June 5,6,
1974. also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 11(6) 935 (1974).

Proceedings of the Symposium: Films for Solar Energy, May 21,1975.
also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 12(5) 975 (1975).

Proceedings of the Symposium: Advances in Ion Technology, May 26,1976.
also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 13(5) 1003 (1976).

The 12th Annual Symposium on Metallization of Advanced Semiconductor Devices, June 3,
1981. also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 19(3).761 (1981).

The 13th Annual Symposium on Plasma and lon-Beam Processing, June 2,1982.
also J. Vac. Sci. Technol. 21(3) 725 (1982).

The educational mission of the chapter was evident in the training of numerous new staff
members from AT&T, IBM and RCA, as well employees at other companies who attended the
symposia. But in addition the chapter supported travel expenses for graduate students presenting
papers or posters at the National AVS Symposia.. For example, in 1992 travel support of $200
to each of ten graduate students was dispersed in 1992, In another initiative of the chapter,
funds and surplus equipment were made available to support high school science programs. An
outgrowth of this initiative is the current John L. Vossen Memorial Award given by the AVS to
science teachers in middle and high schools to develop demonstration experiments in science.

Alas all great things must come to an end! The changing character of the three sustaining
corporate laboratories in the late 1980s and early 1990s adversely impacted the vitality and
survivability of the Greater New York Chapter. With an overall decline in corporate participation,
chapter leadership was increasingly vested in New Jersey academic institutions, namely Princeton
University, Rutgers University, NJIT and Stevens Institute of Technology, and with such faculty
as Antoine Kahn of Princeton and Ted Madey of Rutgers. Symposia were increasingly held at
these institutions and there were fewer of them. Poster sessions devoted to local academic
research and the presence of commercial vendors exhibiting relevant equipment were now a
feature of the symposia. Even though several excellent symposia were organized as late as
1993, chapter viability could not be sustained beyond this time.

The Greater New York Chapter of the AVS is now essentially inactive.

APPENDIX:

The Greater New York Chapter Committee Membership and Symposia*

1969

Chairman                    A.E. Feuersanger, GT&E

Vice- Chairman           R.B. Marcus, Bell Labs
Secretary- Treasurer    E. Stern
Executive Committee:  C. Altman, AT&T ; P. Beaudonin, IBM; J.D. Levine, RCA; P. Mark, Princeton Univ.

 

Symposia:

Modem Aspects of Vacuum and Thin Film Science, (at Bell Labs, May 15, Full day)

Sept. 23, 1969            Dinner Meeting held in Lyndhurst, NJ,
Invited Speakers: N. Klein, and Z. Meiskin

Nov. 19, 1969             Dinner Meeting held in Lyndhurst, NJ,
Invited Speakers: E.W. Mueller, and 0. Wells

,

1970

Chairman                                 R.B. Marcus, Bell Labs

Vice-Chairman                         B.H. V roman, Bell Labs

Secretary- Treasurer                 W.E. Loeb, Union Carbide

Program Chairman                    P. Beaudonin, IBM

Membership Chairman  1.D. Levine, RCA

Publicity Chairman                    C.C. Chang, Bell Labs

Committee Members-at-large: P. Mark, Princeton Univ. A.E. Feuersanger, GT & E, and S.

Mader, IBM.

Symposia

Modern Methods of Surface Analysis, (at Bell Labs, May 14, Full day)

1971

Chairman                                 B.H. V roman, Bell Labs

Secretary- Treasurer                 WE. Loeb, Union Carbide

Publicity Chairman                   A.F. Mayadas IBM

Committee Members-at-large:   J. Cuomo, IBM, P. Mark, Princeton Univ., R. Rosenberg, IBM

Symposia:

New Developments in Film and Device Fabrication, (at IBMM, May 18, Full day)

1972

Chairman                                P. Mark, Princeton Univ.

Vice-Chairman                         R. Rosenberg, mM

Secretary-Treasurer                 W.E. Loeb, Union Carbide

Executive Committee:              W.R. Bottoms, Princeton Univ.; D.G. Fedak, J.D. Levine, RCA; R.B.

Marcus, Bell Labs; J.L. Vossen, RCA; B.H. Vromen, Bell Labs, IBM; M. Wasserman

Symposia:

Memory Materials and Devices, (at Princeton University, May I, Full day)

1973

Chairman                               J .L. Vossen, RCA

Vice-Chairman                        W.R. Bottoms, Princeton Univ.

Secretary-Treasurer                 W.E. Loeb, Union Carbide

Executive Committee:              R. Rosenberg, mM; J .H. Banfield, RCA; S. Mader, mM; P. Mark,

Princeton Univ., A.K. Sinha, P.K. Tien, P.A. Totta, IBM

Symposia:

Display Materials and Devices, (at Bell Labs, May 3, Full day)

1974

Chairman                                 W.R. Bottoms, Princeton Univ.

Vice-Chairman                         J.L. Vossen, RCA

Secretary- Treasurer                 W.E. Loeb, Union Carbide

Executive Committee:               J.H. Banfield, RCA; T.H. DiStefano, IBM; A.T. English, Bell Labs;
M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology; R.R. Rosenberg, IBM, G. Smolinsky, Bell Labs

Symposia

Contact Reactions in Thin Films (at Stevens Institute of Technology, Apri124, Half day)

Electronic and Structural Properties of Interfaces, (at RCA, June 5,6 Full days)

Plasma Processing of Materials, (at Bell labs, November 20, Half day)

1975

Chairman                                 J.L. Vossen, RCA

Vice-Chairman                         T.H. DiStefano, IBM

Secretary- Treasurer                 W.E. Loeb, Union Carbide

Executive Committee:   A.T. English, Bell Labs; D. Fisher, RCA; P. Mark, Princeton Univ.; M.

Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology; R.R. Rosenberg, IBM

Symposia

Films for Solar Energy (at IBM, May 21, Full day)

Reliability of Semiconductor Devices in Plastic Packages, (at RCA, November 19, Half day)

1976

Chairman                                 T.H. DiStefano, IBM

Vice-Chairman                         A.T. English, Bell Labs

Secretary- Treasurer                 WE. Loeb, Union Carbide

Executive Committee:               W.R. Bottoms, Princeton Univ.; D. Fisher, RCA; P. Mark, Princeton
Univ.; M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology; R.R. Rosenberg, IBM; G. Unterkofler,
Materials Research Corp

Symposia

Advances in Ion Technology, (at Bell Labs, May 26, Full day)

1977

Chairman                                  A. T. English, Bell Labs

Vice-Chairman                         J. Cuomo, IBM

Secretary- Treasurer                 WE. Loeb, Union Carbide

Executive Committee:               T.H. DiStefano, IBM; P. Mark, Princeton Univ.; C.W. Magee, RCA;

C.M. Melliar-Smith, Bell Labs; G. Unterkofler, Materials Research Corp; I.L. Vossen, RCA.

Symposia

Dielectric Thin Films on Semiconductor Devices, (at RCA, May 4, Full day)

1978

Chairman                                 J. Cuomo, IBM

Vice-Chairman                         C.M. Melliar-Smith, Bell Labs

Secretary-Treasurer                 W.E. Loeb, Union Carbide; I. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:               S. Cohen, Princeton Univ.; A. English, Bell Labs; T.H. DiStefano, IBM;
I.K. Howard, IBM; C.W. Magee, RCA; G. Unterkofler, Materials Research Corp; I.L. Vossen, RCA

Symposia:

Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition, (Bell Labs, March 15, Half Day)

Ion Implantation - New Prospects for Material Modification, (at IBM, June14, Full day)

1979

Chair                                      C.M. Melliar-Smith, Bell Labs

Vice-Chair                              C.W. Magee, RCA

Secretary-Treasurer                 J. Vossen, RCA

Education Committee              P.A. Leary, IBM

Executive Committee              B. Abeles, Exxon Research & Engineering; A. T. English, Bell Labs;

J.K. Howard, IBM; R.R. Rosenberg, IBM; G. Unterkofler, Materials Research Corp

Symposia:

Surfaces and Thin Films, (at IBM, November 14, Half day)

 Courses; June 18-22, Sheraton-Russell, New York

Sputtering-$160, Thin Film Devices technology-$135, Fundamentals of Evaporation-$160, Introduction to the Elements of Cryopumping-$135, Ion Beam Applications to Thin Films-$160

1980

Chair                                      C.W. Magee, RCA

Vice-Chair                               C.J. Mogab, Bell labs

Secretary-Treasurer                  J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:   B. Abeles, Exxon Research & Engineering; J .J . Cuomo, IBM; T.
DiStefano, IBM; D.B. Fraser, Bell Labs; P.A. Leary, IBM; R.R. Rosenberg, IBM; J.H. Thomas,
RCA.

Symposia:

Laser Processing of Semiconductors, (at Bell Labs, March 12, half day)
Advances in Microfabrication, (at Princeton, June 4, Full day)

Optical Storage Materials, (at Westchester Inn, Ossining, November 18, Full day)

1981

Chair                                      C.J. Mogab, Bell Labs

Vice-Chair                               P.A. Leary, IBM

Secretary-Treasurer                 J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:              B. Abeles, Exxon Research & Engineering; J .J. Cuomo, IBM; T.H.
DiStefano, IBM; D.B. Fraser, Bell Labs; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ., C.M. Melliar-Smith, Bell
Labs; R.R. Rosenberg, IBM; J.H. Thomas, RCA

Symposia:

Material Sciences Related to Energy, (at Exxon (Linden), March 4, Half day)
Metallization for Advanced Semiconductor Devices (at Bell Labs, June 3, Full day)

1982

Chair                                       P. Leary, IBM

Vice-Chair                               J .H. Thomas, RCA

Secretary-Treasurer                  J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:              B. Abeles, Exxon Research & Engineering; J. Cuomo, IBM; T.H.
DiStefano, IBM; D.B. Fraser, Bell Labs; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.; C.W. Magee, RCA; R.R.
Rosenberg, IBM

Symposia:

VLSI Semiconductor Packaging (at Bell Labs, March 3, Half day)

Plasma and Ion-Beam Processing (at mM, June 2, Full day)

GaAs Processing Technology (at RCA, October 27, Full day)

1983

Chair                                       J .H. Thomas, RCA
Vice-Chair                               R. Rosenberg, IBM

Secretary-Treasurer                  J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:              B. Abeles, Exxon Research & Engineering; J. Cuomo, IBM; T.H.
DiStefano, IBM; D.B. Fraser, Bell Labs; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.; C.W. Magee, RCA; C.J. Mogab, Bell Labs

Symposia:

Electron and Photoacoustic Imaging and Spectroscopy (at Princeton Univ. March 16, 1983,
Half day)

The Use of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry for Materials and Process Characterization
(at Bell Labs, October 20, 1983, Half day)

1984

Chair                                       R.R. Rosenberg, IBM

Vice-Chair                               D.B. Fraser, Bell Labs
Secretary- Treasurer                 J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:              B. Abeles, Exxon Research & Engineering; J .J. Cuomo, IBM; T.H.
DiStefano, IBM; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.; P.A. Leary, IBM; C.W. Magee, RCA; C. J. Mogab,
Bell Labs; M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology;

Symposia:

Dry-Processing Science and Technology (at RCA, March 7, 1984, Half day)

Coatings for Large Scale Metallurgical, Optical and Electronic Applications (at Exxon,
June 13, 1984, Full day)

Surface Modification by Directed Deposition of Energy (at mM, November 9,1984, Full
day)

1985

Chair                                       D.B. Fraser, Bell Labs

Vice-Chair                               A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.

Secretary-Treasurer                  J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:              B. Abe1es, Exxon Research & Engineering; J. Cuomo, IBM; T.H.
DiStefano, IBM; P.A. Leary, IBM; C. Magee, RCA; C.J. Mogab, Bell Labs; M. Ohring, Stevens
Institute of Technology; J .H. Thomas, RCA

Symposia:

Frontiers of Silicon (at Bell Labs, June 19,1985, Full day)

1986

Chair                                       A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.

Vice-Chair                               M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology

Secretary- Treasurer                 J. Vossen, RCA

Executive Committee:               J. Cuomo, IBM; G. Fisanick, Bell Labs; R. Guarnieri, mM; P.A. Lear~
IBM; C. Magee, RCA; C. J. Mogab, Microwave Semiconductor Corp.; T. Moustakas, Exxon
Research & Engineering; M. Vasile, Bell Labs; H. Witzke, Exxon Research & Engineering

Symposia:

Heterojunctions and New III-V Devices, (at Princeton University, March 12, Full day)

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (at IBM, November 12, Half day)

1987

Chair                                      M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology
Vice-Chair                               R. Guarnieri, IBM
Secretary- Treasurer                 J. Vossen, John Vossen Associates

Executive Committee:               J. Cuomo, IBM; G. Fisanick, Bell Labs; C. Magee, RCA; R.B. Marcus,
Bellcore; J. Mogab, Microwave Semiconductor Corp. ; T. Moustakas, Exxon Research &
Engineering; M. Vasile, Bell Labs; H. Witzke, Exxon Research & Engineering

Symposia:

Diamond and Diamond-Like Carbon Films, (at RCA, March 4, Half day)

Polymer Interfaces and Adhesion, (at mM, June 10, Full day)

Superconducting Thin Films, (at Bell Labs, November 18, Full day)

1988

Chair                                       C.R. Guarnieri, IBM

Vice-Chair                               M. Vasile, Bell Labs
Secretary- Treasurer                 J. Vossen, John Vossen Associates

Executive Committee:              J. Cuomo, IBM; G.J. Fisanick, Bell Labs; C.W. Magee, Evans East;
 A Kahn, Princeton Univ.; M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology; R.B. Marcus, Bellcore; J.
Mogab, Microwave Semiconductor Corp.; T.D. Moustakas, Exxon Research & Engineering; J.H.
Thomas, SRI David Sarnoff Research Center; H. Witzke, Exxon Research & Engineering

Symposia:

Advances in Epitaxial Growth of Compound Semiconductor Thin Films, (at SRI Sarnoff
Research Center, March 2, half day)

Nanostructures and Nanofabrication, (at mM, November 16, Full day)

1989

Chair                                       M.J. Vasile, Bell Labs
Vice-Chair                               G. Fisanick, Bell Labs
Secretary- Treasurer                 J .H. Thomas, SRI David Sarnoff Research Center

Executive Committee:               J. Cuomo, IBM; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.; C. Magee, Evans East; R.B.
Marcus, Bellcore; J. Mogab, Microwave Semiconductor Corp.;M. Ohring, Stevens Institute of Technology;
J. Vossen, John Vossen Associates; H. Witzke, Exxon Research & Engineering

Symposia:

Ion Beam Modification of Materials, (at Bell Labs, March 8, Full day)
Thin Magnetic Layers and Superlattices, (at Bell Labs, June 14, Full day)
Synchrotron Radiation for Lithography, (at mM, June 7, Half day)

1990

Chair                                        G. Fisanick, Bell Labs, Light Age
Vice-Chair                                B. Bagley, Bell Labs
Secretary- Treasurer                 J .H. Thomas, SRI David Sarnoff Research Center

Executive Committee:               C.R. Guarnieri IBM; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.; T.E. Madey, Rutgers
Univ.; C.W. Magee, Evans East; J. Vossen, John Vossen Associates; A-M. Lanzillotto

Symposia:

Scanning Probe Microscopy (at Rutgers Univ., Nov.7 , Full day)

1991

Chair                                        B. Bagley, Bell Labs
Vice-Chair                                R. Roy, IBM
Secretary                                 G. Fisanick, Light Age
Treasurer                                  R.S. Robinson, Bellcore

Executive Committee:                C.R. Guarnieri IBM; C.W. Magee, Evans East; J. Vossen, John Vossen
Associates; A-M. Lanzillotto, SRI David Sarnoff Research Center; J.H. Thomas, SRI David
Sarnoff Research Center

Symposia:

Properties and Growth of Semiconductors with Atomic Level Control, (at Bell Labs, with
Posters, March 6, Half day)

1992

Chair                                        R. Roy, mM
Vice-Chair                                A-M. Lanzillotto, SRI David SarnoffResearch Center
Secretary                                 G. Fisanick, Bell Labs
Treasurer                                  R.S. Robinson, Bellcore

Executive Committee:                C.R. Guarnieri, IBM; C. W. Magee, Evans East; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ.; T.E. Madey, Rutgers Univ.; M.J. Vasile, Bell Labs

Symposia:

Electron and Ion Beams: Applications and Vacuum Microelectronic Devices (at NJrr,
March 4, Full day)

Physics and Chemistry of Metal/Oxide Interfaces (at Rutgers, September 23, Full day)

1993

Chair                                        A-M. Lanzillotto, SRI David Sarnoff Research Center
Vlce-Chair                                C.W. Magee, Evans East
Secretary                                 C.R. Guarnieri, IBM
Treasurer                                  R.S. Robinson, Bellcore

Executive Committee:                L. Bubois; A. Kahn, Princeton Univ; T.E. Madey, Rutgers Univ., R.Tung, Bell Labs

Symposia:

Chemical Vapor Deposition for Si-Based Materials and Technology, (at Princeton Univ.
September 29, Full day)