EMAG–NANO 2005: Imaging, Analysis and Fabrication on the Nanoscale

Abstract

The biennial conference of the Electron Microscopy & Analysis Group (EMAG) was this year co-hosted with the Nanoscale Physics and Technology (NPT) Group of the Institute of Physics and held at The University of Leeds from 31 August to 2 September. The conference attracted 151 delegates from 16 countries. As part of the "Einstein" International Year of Physics, the conference focused on the dominant themes of Imaging, Analysis and Fabrication on the Nanoscale.EMAG and NPT co-organised the scientific programme, allowing three parallel sessions to run along the lines of (1) Microscopy techniques for nanotechnology; (2) Investigating structure-property relationships in advanced materials; and (3) Nanophysics and nanotechnology. Indeed, one of the motivations for running this conference series has been to encourage and develop the next generation of research scientists, to help maintain the UK's international profile in the areas of microscopy, analysis and innovation in micro- and nanotechnology. In this context, EMAG provided bursaries to cover the registration fees for 25 research students to help meet their costs of attending this event. In addition to the 4 plenary lectures, there were 13 invited oral presentations and 77 contributed oral papers that ran in three parallel sessions. Furthermore, 44 posters were presented throughout the three days. These proceedings comprise 90 papers, beginning with a plenary paper, followed by the invited and contributed oral papers ordered chronologically by session as they appeared during the conference. The collated poster papers are then presented. The papers were submitted in advance of the conference, both electronically in Word and .pdf formats, and in hard copy camera ready format. Each paper was reviewed by two referees. We are indebted to the efforts of the many delegates who kindly provided their valuable time to help in this process. Without their efforts it would not have been possible to produce these proceedings so promptly. We hope that readers of these proceedings will see this volume as a valuable snapshot of microscopy, microanalysis and nanoscale physics and technology in the UK at the time of writing.In time honoured tradition, an Advanced School preceded the conference, with tutorial lectures on Imaging in the Electron Microscope; Analysis in the Electron Microscope; STM and Nanostructured Surfaces; and Functionality of Nanoscale Solids, to help research students gain a wider appreciation of the keynote scientific issues and to provide a background to the detailed conference themes. In addition, a Trade Exhibition was fully integrated into the conference site in the University Sports Hall, within close walking distance of the lecture theatres, giving delegates the opportunity to discuss recent developments in analytical instrumentation. In keeping with the previous EMAG 2003 conference at Oxford University, provision was made for commercial workshops for the promotion of products by the manufacturers and 'question and answer' sessions. The companies on show spanned the range of mainstream electron and scanning probe instrument makers, combined with a broad spectrum of smaller companies providing ancillary equipment, from services for sample preparation to vacuum system support. As ever, we are grateful to the exhibitors and sponsors for their valued contribution to this conference series.Finally, we are extremely grateful for the many people who helped with the running of this conference. On behalf of both the EMAG and NPT groups we'd like to take the opportunity to thank the local organising committee of Rik Brydson, Andy Brown, John Harrington and Andy Scott. Our thanks also to Dave McComb and Bruce Hamilton for collating the scientific programme, to Stephen Donnelly for co-ordinating the award of student bursaries, and to Richard Baker and Bruce Hamilton for guiding the editing of the proceedings. We'd also like to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of Jill Cowlard and Nicola Deedman of the CEM Group for co-ordinating the Trade Exhibition, and Claire Pantlin and Jasmina Bolfek-Radovani of the IoP without whom there'd be no show on the road! A special thanks also to Jane Lowe of the IoP for her sterling work collating these proceedings! Paul D Brown, University of Nottingham (EMAG Chair) Richard Palmer, University of Birmingham (NPT Chair)