Preface: Phys. Status Solidi C 6/12

Abstract

AbstractThis issue contains a selection of papers presented at the 15th International Semiconducting and Insulating Materials Conference (SIMC‐XV), held at the Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania, from 15 to 19 June 2009. It was jointly organized by the Semiconductor Physics Institute and the Vilnius University, both in Vilnius, Lithuania. SIMC‐XV is the latest in a biennial conference series, initiated in 1980 in Nottingham, UK. This conference has a long history of providing a forum for exchanging ideas for researchers active in the fields of semiconducting and insulating materials. Over its 29 year long history, during which SIMC was held in 11 countries on 4 continents, one feature has not changed: it is a premier conference series that builds bridges between experts investigating material technology, their properties, and device applications.SIMC‐XV was attended by about 100 people from 22 countries. The technical sessions encompassed many new and developing topics, which included wide bandgap compound semiconductors, diluted nitride and bismide compounds, low dimensional semiconductor nanostructures, and complex oxide materials. The conference was arranged into 16 oral sessions that included 22 invited talks presented by distinguished experts in their fields and 39 contributed talks. 35 more contributions were presented as posters. The selection of the papers presented in this volume reflects the multidisciplinary and multinational nature of the SIMC series.We offer our thanks to all members of the conference committees staff and students of the Semiconductor Physics Institute and all the SIMC‐XV participants for their contributions to the success of the conference. We are especially indebted to Dr. Renata Butkutė, Dr. Vaidas Pačebutas, and Prof. Kęstutis Jarašiūnas for their invaluable help in organizing the conference. Our acknowledgements also go to our sponsors – Lithuanian Physical Society, Vilnius University, Lithuanian State Science and Studies Foundation, Office of Naval Research Global, TECO René Koch, Labochema, SVT Associates, Inc., Veeco, TeraVil, and EKSPLA for their financial support that has made SIMC‐XV possible.We wish Prof. Sebastian Lourdudoss, the chair of SIMC‐XVI, success in organizing the next conference in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2011 (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)