Report on the IUVSTA Surface Science Division for the Triennium 1995-1998

Experimental and theoretical research on solid surfaces and interfaces, aswell as gas-solid interactions, broadly define the scope of this division. Current emphasis is on electronic, ion, atom, and photon interactions with surfaces and on the structure, electronic properties, and dynamics of surface processes. The latter include surface reactions, diffusion, and catalysis. To be more specific, the Division has formulated the following topics for the 10th International Conference on Solid Surfaces, to be held in Birmingham 31 August - 4 September 1998:

  • Topics:
  • Adsorbate Dynamics and Scattering
  • Atomic Manipulation
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Diffusion and Growth
  • Electronic Structure
  • Environmental and biological surface science
  • Geometric Structure
  • Liquid/solid and liquid/liquid interfaces
  • Magnetic Properties
  • New Methods and techniques
  • Oxide surfaces
  • Photon or electron induced and ultrafast processes
  • Phase Transitions, Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics
  • Sliding Friction, Tribology, Fracture
  • Small Particles, Clusters, and novel structures

The Division promotes the interest of Surface Science through the participation in the organization of International Conferences, the organization of IUVSTA Workshops, granting of IUVSTA sponsorship to International Meetings on Surface Science.

  • International Conferences:

The Sixteenth European Conference on Surface Science (ECOSS-16) was held in Genoa, Italy -- 9-13 September 1996 -- chairman of the local organizing committee: U. Valbusa.

The Seventeenth European Conference on Surface Science (ECOSS-17) was held in Enschede, the Netherlands -- 16-19 September 1997 -- chairman of the local organizing committee:

B. Poelsema.

The Tenth International Conference on Solid Surfaces (ICSS-10) is held in Birmingham, United Kingdom -- 31 August - 4 September 1998, chairman of the international program committee: A.W. Kleyn.

The ECOSS-conferences are organized on behalf of the European Physical Society and IUVSTA. The ICSS is part of the triennial congress of IUVSTA. The scientific program of ICSS is set up by an international program committee consisting of the surface science division committee and a number of surface scientists nominated by the host country.

  • IUVSTA workshops:

Workshop 13: Lasers in Surface Science and Thin Films—
Kitzsteinhorn, Austria, 27-31 May 1996 -- organizers W. Husinsky and A.W. Kleyn, jointly with IUVSTA Thin Film Division

Workshop 16: Outgassing Properties of Materials:the kinetics and thermodynamics of adsorption, desorption and passivation—
tersund, Sweden, 15-23 March 1997 -- organizers B. Hjvarsson and L. Westerberg, jointly with IUVSTA Vacuum Science Division

Workshop 18: Diffusion and Growth in Ultrathin Surface Films—
Newcastle, Australia, 17-21 November 1997 -- organizers J. O’Connor, B. Poelsema and G. Comsa.

Workshop 19: Surface Chemistry on the Nanoscopic Scale—Leiden, The Netherlands,
10-12 September 1997 -- organizers J. Frenken, B. Nieuwenhuijs, and H. Zandvliet.

  • Sponsored meetings:

The Surface Science Division has recommended sponsorship for eight international meetings and schools.

  • Committee meetings and contacts:

The Committee met in Yokohama, Japan—September 1995; San Diego, USA—April 1996; Genoa, Italy—September 1996; Enschede, The Netherlands—September 1997; Bratislava, Slovakia—March 1998; and Birmingham, United Kingdom—September 1998. All information was exchanged by electronic mail to allow participation of all members, also those not attending the meeting. Reports concerning conferences, workshops, and divisional meetings are available at the IUVSTA-WWW site.

The International Program Committee for ICSS-10 conducted most of its work electronically. The abstract selection meeting was the only meeting that had to be attended by a sizable fraction of program committee members.

  • Committee membership:

M.A. Chesters, United Kingdom

V.A. Grazhulis, Russia

K. Heinz, Germany

A.W. Kleyn, The Netherlands, Chairman

R. Landers, Brazil

D.J. O’Connor, Australia, Secretary

Se-Jung Oh, Korea

M. Szymonski, Poland

J.H. Weaver, United States, Vice-chairman

A. Yoshimori, Japan

The Committee deeply regrets the sudden death of one of its members: Professor Vitas Grazhulis close to the end of the triennium.

A.W. Kleyn, 17 August, 1998.

Divisions