A conference on semiconductor/insulator interfaces, and the interaction between materials science, device physics, and technology will be held December 4-6, 2003 in Arlington, VA. The conference is interdisciplinary, and will cover many areas of MOS science and technology, including: alternative and high-k gate dielectric materials; physics of thin dielectrics and their interfaces; gate-dielectric conduction and breakdown; silicon carbide and its interfaces; physical and electrical characterization of si/sio2 interfaces; micro-roughness measurement, modeling, and device-related effects; hot carrier, plasma damage and radiation effects; nitrogen-containing oxides and stacked interfaces; surface cleaning technology and effects on dielectrics and interfaces; novel oxidation, deposition, and etching techniques; and theory of oxide and interface defects. An important goal of the conference is to provide an environment that encourages interplay between scientific and technological issues. The program is organized as a workshop-style conference to provide a forum for device engineers, solid state physicists, and materials scientists to discuss topics of common interest both formally through invited and contributed presentations, and informally during a variety of events including a poster presentation session. Objectives are to stimulate communications among the broad community of researchers addressing semiconductor/insulator interfaces and their relationship to technology. A variety of disciplinary backgrounds-chemistry, physics, engineering and materials science, is represented and contrributes positively to the intellectual content of the Conference. Along with the opportunity to assess the field and future directions, it is expected that new ties will be established between universities, research institutions, and industry. %%% An evaluation of the progress and status of semiconductor/insulator interfaces and related device issues along with current assessments of the most important developments will be of significant value to the understanding and enhanced utilization of electronic materials in computing, data processing, and communications. ***
