Workshop: 2011 International Conference on Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy; Lindau at Lake Constance, Germany; September 18-22, 2011

University Of Maryland, College Park, College Park MD

Investigators

Abstract

This grant provides funding for a delegation consisting of researchers from the University of Maryland, College Park, Purdue University and Harvard University to attend the 2011 International Conference on Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy (NC-AFM) to take place in Lindau, Germany. The delegation consists mostly of graduate students and junior researchers. Additionally, it includes two members of the provisionally approved 2013 NC-AFM Conference Organization Committee, who will be updating and seeking final approval from the Conference Steering Committee on the proposed conference plan to be carried out in 2013 in Washington D.C. The delegation will have the opportunity to learn from and interact with the most prominent researchers in the field of NC-AFM, most of which reside in Europe and Japan. One of the most relevant conference topics to be presented (by others) is the nascent field of sub-atomic chemical force microscopy, which holds significant promise in the electronic structure probing of nanoscale surfaces. This is particularly important for energy-related applications, such as lithium ion diffusion tracking and enhanced fuel cell materials. Hosting the conference in the U.S. in 2013 will enable a large number of U.S. researchers to attend and acquire knowledge on the latest NC-AFM techniques, which will in turn help raise the level of interest in the U.S.