The 16th International Conference on II-VI Compound and Related Materials (II-VI 2013)
The 125th Committee on Mutual Conversion between Light and Electricity
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
1. Overview
The 125th Committee on Mutual Conversion between Light and Electricity, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science held the 16th International Conference on II-VI Compound and Related Materials (II-VI 2013).
-Date: September 9 (Mon.) -13 (Fri.), 2013
-Venue: Nagahama Royal Hotel, Nagahama-city, Shiga
-Presentations: 131 (53 oral and 78 poster presentations; 9 invited and 122 general presentations; including 59 from Japan and 72 from overseas.)
-Participants: 143 (85 from Japan and 58 from overseas, including 44 students; 9 from France, 8 from Germany, 8 from the United States, 7 from China, 6 from Poland, 6 from South Korea, 4 from Turkey, 3 from Russia, 2 from the United Kingdom, 1 from Mexico, 1 from South Africa, 1 from Spain, 1 from Sweden, and 1 from Ukraine. From 15 countries)
-Total budget: 12,366,585 yen, including 2,000,000 yen in financial support from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
This symposium was a continuation of the series of biennial international conferences. The previous symposiums in Japan were Tamano-city, Okayama in 1991 and Kyoto in 1999, both of which were sponsored by the 125th Committee.
2. The program, results and publication
The purpose of the international symposium was to understand the current status of II-VI compounds such as ZnSe and ZnS, together with the related materials such as chalcopyrites and oxides, from the viewpoints of their growth, properties, and device applications. Traditionally, fundamental properties and physics, especially optical phenomena in materials for light-electricity mutual conversion, have been one of the most basic scopes of the symposium. New phenomena revealed in the symposium have contributed to the developments of devices of other materials such as III-V, nitrides, and amorphous materials.
The symposium: (i) accelerated the research and development in light-electricity conversion materials and technologies, especially for x-ray and g-ray regions as a new frontier; (ii) promoted the research on new physics of low-dimensional electrons and electron spins for future industrial applications; (iii) expanded the research areas for novel materials with multi-functions or high-breakdown voltage; (iv) opened the research on new human interfaces with transparent or hybrid materials; (v) straighten the international research network; (v) enhanced the international understanding of Japanese culture and international friendship through exposing overseas participants to the natural beauty and history at the site Nagahama; and (iv) contributed to the promotion of the local industry of the host city through the use of hotels, restaurants and facilities and sightseeing before and after the conference by participants.
The organizers will try as much as possible to publicize the results through the publication of the proceedings as a special issue of an international journal, Physica Status Solidi (c).
3. Presentations, sessions and events
This international symposium was composed of invited presentations, general oral presentations, poster sessions and other social events including excursion and banquet. Below is a summary of the events.
(a) Invited presentations
There were 9 invited presentations (5 of them were from overseas) by distinguished researchers, provided highly suggestive scientific information covering materials, growths, characterizations, and devices.
(b) General presentations
A total of 122 papers were presented. 60 were from Japan and other 62 were from overseas 15 countries, keeping the symposium under highly international atmosphere. 53 oral presentations each showed high impacts, followed by intensive discussions. Very passionate and vibrant discussions took place at the poster session presenting 78 papers.
(c) Awards
The Young Researcher Award was established for excellent work and was presented to a young researcher. In addition, the Best Student Presentation Award was presented to 4 students.
(d) Social events
Welcome reception was held on the first day. In the afternoon of the fourth day, the participants enjoyed natural beauty and history in the local area and enhanced their mutual friendships with a boat cruise on Lake Biwa as an excursion. Then banquet was held at the Nagahama Royal Hotel. As an attraction, we called "Kyokomachi Odorikotai", which was an NPO promoting Kimino (Japanese traditional wear) culture and showed beautiful performances with Kimono. Several participants joined the performances with the young ladies dressed Kimono
At this symposium the organizers suggested the participants to accommodate the Nagahama Royal Hotel, the symposium venue, in order for having the maximum opportunity to communicate each other. There were hot spring baths in the hotel, which were one of the ideal places for international communication.
4. Problems and future challenges
One of most severe issues in organizing the symposium was the budget. The scopes of this symposium are fundamental and developing fields, most of which have not been on the industrial stage. This made hard for us to find financial sponsors such as exhibitors. In spite of our efforts, there was only one company applied for exhibition, but it kindly supported the symposium. In addition, the exchange rate of Japanese yen to other foreign currency was so high that we were strongly requested by the overseas participants to set the registration fee as low as possible. In these situations, the symposium would not been held successfully without the support from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, which helped inviting distinguished researchers and lowered our expenses for venue costs as well as printing costs. Many of the overseas participants expressed their appreciation for the fruitful symposium.
This symposium was held after 14 years in Japan of the previous symposium. Therefore the organizers did not have enough know-hows for organizing the symposium, and this has been compensated by the devoted efforts of young researchers. We have to deeply acknowledge the volunteers and wish to inherit the experience to the younger generation for the next symposium.
Group photo of symposium participants (not all) and the organizing staffs
(Nagahama Royal Hotel; September 10, 2013)