Welcome to the 11th European Conference on Applications of Surface and Interface Analysis ECASIA´05, in Vienna, September 25-30, 2005. About twenty years ago, development of surface analytical techniques was mainly driven by the need of multinational companies and large government research institutions to characterize surface structure on a continuously decreasing scale. Around that time, it was felt that organizing a conference in this field would meet the increasing need for scientific exchange. This resulted in the first ECASIA conference in Veldhoven (near Eindhoven) in the Netherlands in 1985.

In the mean time, surface analysis techniques have entered the daily lives of large parts of our society, not only for scientists in industry and academic or governmental researchers, but also for the broad public to whom the field is brought close by the media i.a. in the form of popular TV shows like the X-files, CSI and others. For the experts, this has given rise to many memorable scenes like the unforgettable analysis of the Micro-Identification-Chip cut out of Rutger Hauer´s neck in the Science-Fiction classic "Blade-Runner", that was scrutinized under the electron microscope into which the sample was introduced in a plastic bag!

The ECASIA conferences have covered all relevant developments in the field in the past twenty years in which the spectrum of the subfields of interests has broadened significantly. The scientific programme of the ECASIA´05 , with a total of 457 pre-deadline contributions, reflects these developments, both with respect to the invited lectures as well as the contributed papers. It is to be expected that the meeting will provide an excellent platform for the exchange between scientists from industry, academia, government and suppliers of equipment for surface analysis.

The ECASIA´05 local organizing committee wishes all participants of the ECASIA´05 conference a fruitful conference and an enjoyable stay in Vienna.

Sponsors and Exhibitors:

Contact address

ECASIA'05 - Conference Office
Manuela Marik
Institut f. Allgemeine Physik, TU Wien
Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10/E134, A 1040 Vienna, Austria
Phone: +43 1 58801 13405, Fax: +43 1 58801 13499
e-Mail: ecasia05@iap.tuwien.ac.at

11^th European Conference on Applications of Surface and Interface Analysis
September 25-30, 2005, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
Chair: Wolfgang S.M. Werner, Institut für Allgemeine Physik, TU-Wien
ECASIA'05 home page: http://www.iap.tuwien.ac.at/ecasia05
e-Mail: ecasia05@iap.tuwien.ac.at

- Last modified : Oct. 5, 2005 -