This award will partially support a conference focused on cathodoluminescence that is scheduled for October 24 - 27, 2011, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gaithersburg, MD, under the sponsorship of the MicroAnalysis Society (MAS) and the Australian Microbeam Analysis Society (AMAS). The conference is supported and organized by staff of NIST, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia and the University of NSW, Australia.
Cathodoluminescence (CL) is the non-incandescent emission of light (photons) emitted from a luminescent material excited by an electron beam. CL implemented in an electron microscope is an advanced microanalysis technique that enables high sensitivity, high spatial resolution characterization of trace elements and defect microstructure within a wide range of materials. These microstructural defects strongly influence the optical, electrical and mechanical properties of technologically important nanoscale and bulk materials including ceramics, dielectrics, semiconductor and optoelectronic device materials, etc. CL analysis of microstructural defects in minerals is also of particular importance in the geosciences providing for example, unique high sensitivity information about mineral chemistry, crystal growth, formation conditions, alteration, diagenesis, context for geochronological measurements, and provenance information of oil and mineral deposits.
The meeting in October 2011 at NIST will be first meeting of its kind on cathodoluminescence microanalysis and has stimulated national and international interest and participation. The meeting follows the proven successful MAS Topical Conference format that includes hands-on laboratory demonstrations, in addition to invited and contributed conference presentations. The laboratory demonstrations will take place in the Advanced Measurement Laboratory of NIST's Surface and Microanalysis Science Division where a range of state-of-the-art CL systems, CL analysis software and supporting instrumentation are available to participants. In addition, other CL systems and ancillary equipment not represented in the NIST laboratories will be installed for the duration of the topical conference. Poster sessions will be a highlight of this conference, allowing additional involvement, particularly by students, post-doctoral fellows, and other early career researchers. The excellent NIST venue will provide the opportunity for a maximum of 80 participants (including professionals, vendors/ sponsors and students) to attend the topical conference on CL.
The Microanalysis Society (MAS) partnered with the Australian Microbeam Analysis Society (AMAS) to host a topical conference Cathodoluminescence 2011 on advances in specialist microscopy and microanalysis techniques using the non-incandescent emission of light ~photons emitted from materials excited by an electron beam. The conference was held at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD, USA on October 24–28, 2011. NSF Division of Earth Sciences generously provided support for student participation. The NSF award was issued to a local organizer by way of the Instrumentation and Facilities Program (EAR-1201942) to support costs incurred by U.S. students who attended the conference. The conference included platform and poster presentations, sponsor presentations, laboratory demonstrations, CL-software demonstrations, and "roundtable" discussions, as well as informal opportunities to discuss and interact. In particular, the NIST venue provided the opportunity for extended interactive laboratory demonstrations of hyperspectral UV, VIS, and IR CL techniques across three advanced field emission microscope platforms. The scientific and technical program covered a broad range of topics including planetary and geosciences applications, nanostructured and advanced materials analysis, semiconductor and optoelectronic device applications, forensic applications, advances in CL instrumentation, depth-resolved CL, hyperspectral techniques, correlative analysis of CL with complementary microanalytical techniques, etc.
