DMP

Graphene: Growth, Mechanical Exfoliation, and Properties

Graphene, a single atomic layer of carbon that is crystallized in the honeycomb configuration, continues to attract strong interest within the scientific community because of its unique mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. A number of approaches have been developed to synthesize single- and few-layer films of graphene on suitable substrates. These include mechanical exfoliation from graphite, Si sublimation and subsequent graphene formation on SiC substrates, graphene formation on metal surfaces by chemical vapor deposition, and graphene formation by ion implantation. This graphene focus topic will cover (i) graphene growth on substrates, (ii) modeling the growth processes to deduce the underlying growth mechanisms, (iii) characterization and modeling of the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the synthesized graphene, (iv) methods for separating and transferring graphene from their underlying substrates, and (v) methods for mechanical exfoliation of graphene from graphite.

Organizers:
Carl A. Ventrice, Jr.
University at Albany-SUNY
Email: cventrice@uamail.albany.edu

Damon B. Farmer
IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Email: dfarmer@us.ibm.com

DMP

Graphene: Structure, Stacking, and Interactions

The study of graphene, a single atomic plane of graphite, remains a rapidly growing field of research. This topic will focus on the materials physics of graphene produced by mechanical or chemical means, including single layer, bilayer, trilayer, and higher multilayer graphenes as well as structurally or chemically modified graphenes. We invite experimental and theoretical contributions in the following areas: (i) the physics of structurally or chemically modified graphenes, including the effect of defects, edges, adatoms, adsorbates, and strain on graphene's material properties, (ii) the physics of epitaxial graphenes, including the properties of multilayer graphene films, (iii) interactions of exfoliated or chemically grown graphenes with different substrates and the environment.

Organizers:
Gene Mele
University of Pennsylvania
Email: mele@physics.upenn.edu

Eli Rotenberg
Lawrence-Berkeley National Laboratory
Email: erotenberg@lbl.gov

Shaffique Adam
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Email: shaffique.adam@nist.gov

DMP

Graphene Devices: Function, Fabrication, and Characterization

The unique properties of graphene have led to great excitement about its potential device applications. However, numerous open questions surround the challenges and promise of creating such devices at a practical level. This Focus Topic relates to experimental and theoretical studies of devices based on single- and multi-layered graphene. The devices considered include (but are not limited to) electronic, optical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical graphene devices. We invite contributions on topics including: (i) the fabrication, measurements, and modeling of graphene devices, (ii) proposals for or tests of devices that exploit the unique properties of graphene, and (iii) materials, environmental, or other issues that enable or limit graphene devices.

Organizers:
Phaedon Avouris
IBM Research Division
Email: avouris@us.ibm.com

Nadya Mason
University of Illinois
Email: nadya@illinois.edu

DMP

Carbon Nanotubes and Related Materials: Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Interest in the fundamental properties and applications of carbon nanotubes and related materials continues to grow. The reason for this interest lies in the unique combination of electrical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, optical, spectroscopic and magnetic properties of these systems. This focus topic addresses recent developments in: (i) the fundamental understanding of nanotubes and related materials, including synthesis, characterization, processing, purification, chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties, and (ii) in their potential applications for interconnects, transistors, thermal management, composites, super-capacitors, nanosensors, nanoprobes, field emitters, storage media, and magnetic devices. Experimental and theoretical contributions are solicited in the following areas:

• Synthesis and characterization of nanotubes, nanohorns, and related nanostructures;
• Control or optimization of growth, including chirality control and in-situ studies;
• Purification, separation, chemical functionalization, alignment/assembly;
• Structure and properties of hybrid systems, including filled and chemically modified carbon nanotubes and nanotube peapods;
• Mechanical and thermal properties of these nanostructures and their composites;
• Electrical and magnetic properties of these systems;
• Mesoscopic, structural, optical, opto-electronic and transport properties as well as their spectroscopic characterization.

The focus topic will also cover the broad applications of these nanosystems, including:

• Electronic devices including interconnects, supercapacitors, transistors, memory;
• Thermal management applications;
• Multifunctional nanotube composites;
• Chemical and bio-sensing applications;
• Field emission; and
• New generations of magnetic and electronic devices

Organizers:
Eric Pop
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Email: epop@illinois.edu

Philip G. Collins
University of California, Irvine
Email: collinsp@uci.edu

Gyula Eres
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Email: collinsp@uci.edu

DMP

Van der Waals Bonding in Advanced Materials

Van der Waals bonds occur in all materials and are particularly important in regions with low electron concentration. Van der Waals forces impact material structure and behavior, both when they dominate the binding, and when they compete with other binding mechanisms like covalent or ionic binding. This focus topic will focus on the materials physics of van der Waal interactions, highlighting recent advances in theory and application that lead toward a deeper understanding and more quantitative description. Experimental work that details a van der Waals nature in cohesion or function and theoretical treatments of specific materials problems are featured to stimulate further experiment-theory exchange and calibration. This focus topic is dedicated to the memory of David C. Langreth, for his inspiring research on van der Waals bonding and for his legacy of experiment-theory exchanges in materials physics.

Contributions are invited from all areas of material physics and especially on the following topics:

• Molecular crystals and thin films, with advances in 3-D molecular architecture
• Nanoporous materials such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOF’s) for hydrogen storage and carbon sequestration
• Layered materials and atomistics of intercalation and exfoliation
• Low dimensional structures, including molecules physisorbed or weakly adsorbed on surfaces, self-assembled functional monolayers and molecular interfaces
• Supramolecular organizations, including biomimetic assemblies and chiral structures 

Organizers:
Janice Reutt-Robey
University of Maryland
Email: rrobey@umd.edu

Talat Rahman
University of Central Florida
Email: Talat.Rahman@ucf.edu

Elsebeth Schröder
Chalmers University of Technology
Email: schroder@chalmers.se

DMP/DCOMP

Computational Design of New Materials

Advances in theoretical understanding, algorithms and computational power are enabling computational tools to play an increasing role in materials discovery, development and optimization. This focus topic will cover recent applications and methodological developments at the frontier of computational materials design, ranging from quantum-level prediction to macro-scale property optimization. Of particular interest is computational and theoretical work that features a strong connection to experiment. Topics include (but are not be limited to) first-principles materials design, algorithms to search the structure-composition design space, and theory/methodological innovations that improve the scope, accuracy and efficiency of computational materials design.

Organizers:
Richard Hennig
Cornell University
Email: rhennig@cornell.edu

Jim Chelikowsky
University of Texas at Austin
Email: jrc@ices.utexas.edu

DMP/DBIO/
DPOLY

Materials and Functional Structures for Biological Interfaces

Materials and functional structures (including thin layers, membranes, and pores) for biological interfaces are of interest for many fundamental questions for example in biophysics, biochemistry and cell biology, but also play an important role for many biomedical applications and in biotechnology. This focus topic addresses recent experimental and theoretical developments in materials for micro- and nanostructured surfaces, biopatterning, supported and unsupported membranes, micro- and nanofluidic systems, and nanopores. These materials and functional structures address applications including 3D cell culture, implants, biosensors, bioanalytics, and DNA sequencing. They enable the study of protein adsorption, cell adhesion, cell mechanics, cell motility, cell membranes, cell receptors, cytoskeleton, chemotaxis, intercellular communication, and cancer progression, as well as the structure and dynamics of biomolecules.

Organizers:
Robert Ros
Arizona State University
Email: Robert.Ros@asu.edu

Robert Riehn
North Carolina State University
Email: rriehn@ncsu.edu

Hongbo Peng
IBM Research Division
Email: pengho@us.ibm.com

DMP

Nanostructures and Metamaterials: Growth, Structure, and Characterization

Shaping materials on the sub-wavelength scale allows for an unprecedented control of light. This includes nanostructures on a molecular level such as, e.g., graphene as well as lithographically defined plasmonic and metamaterial structures. Optical properties on the nanoscale shall include insights from experimental and/or theoretical research and from research by any of the spectroscopic, scattering, or time-resolved methods spanning from the visible to the far-infrared spectrum. The principal aim of this focus topic is to bring together colleagues from different disciplines to advance our understanding of novel optical phenomena in nanosystems and composite media.

Organizers:
Costas Soukoulis
Iowa State University
Email: soukoulis@ameslab.gov

Martin Wegener
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Email: Martin.Wegener@kit.edu

DMP

Electron, Ion, and Exciton Transport in Nanostructures

A host of transformative device technologies depend for their function on fluxes of charge, mass, energy, or combinations thereof. This focus topic will address fundamental challenges and new opportunities to understand and control electron, ion, and exciton transport in nanostructures, with a particular interest in the influence of interfaces between different materials and phases. Contributions are solicited in areas that reflect recent advances in the experimental characterization and theory of inorganic nanostructures, including those based on individual quantum dots (0-D), nanowires (1-D), and nanoplatelets (2-D). Specific topics of interest include, but not limited to:

• Experimental and theoretical correlation of nanoscale structure with electronic transport properties.
• Influence of dimensionality on charge carrier scattering and phase transitions.
• Transport through metal-semiconductor interfaces.
• Theoretical and experimental progress towards understanding and exploiting memory effects in resistive and capacitive systems.

Separate focus topics sponsored or cosponsored by DMP will organize presentations on transport in carbon nanotubes, graphene, magnetic nanostructures (spin transport), and molecules. Photovoltaics and thermoelectrics will also be the subject of separate focus topic.

Organizers:
Tijana Rajh
Argonne National Laboratory
Email: rajh@anl.gov

Lincoln Lauhon
Northwestern University
Email: lauhon@northwestern.edu

Yi Gu
Washington State University
Email: yigu@wsu.edu

DMP

Interfaces in Complex Oxides

The experimental realization of atomically precise interfaces between complex oxide compounds opens a new window in physics and materials science of complex oxides, providing exciting directions for fundamental and applied research. Complex oxides exhibit a rich variety of physical properties like magnetism, ferroelectricity, and superconductivity. Proximity to an interface modifies these properties and sometimes leads to even more intriguing phenomena due to interface-mediated interplay between electronic states. Recent experimental and theoretical studies have shown that the strong coupling between orbital, spin, and structural degrees of freedom that exist in complex oxides can be further exploited at atomically sharp interfaces to obtain novel functional behaviors, potentially useful for technologically important applications. This focus topic aims at bringing together experimental and theoretical researchers working on all aspects of interface-related behavior in complex oxide materials. This includes the growth and characterization of oxide heterostructures, development and application of new interface-related measurement techniques, experiment and theory related to interface-induced changes in physical properties and new or modified interface-mediated aggregate responses and collective states. Especially welcome are abstracts focusing on the search for new interface-related phenomena and the use of oxide interfaces as a test-bed for rational design of materials with desirable electronic, magnetic, and transport properties.

There is some overlap in topic with other focus topics related to complex oxide materials; as a rule of thumb, if the interface plays a key role in the investigation or the properties observed, then the talk is appropriate for this focus topic.

Maitri Warusawithana
Florida State University
Email: maitri@magnet.fsu.edu

Stefano Gariglio
University of Geneva
Email: Stefano.Gariglio@unige.ch

Evgeny Tsymbal
University of Nebraska
Email: tsymbal@unl.edu

DMP

Surfaces and Interfaces in Nonoxide Nanostructures: Growth, Structure, and Characterization

Progress in nanoscience depends on the fundamental understanding of the evolution of atomic structure, composition, morphology, and electronic properties at surfaces and interfaces. The ability to understand and control the thermodynamics and kinetics of surface processes will enable the creation of new structures and the discovery of new phenomena. This focus topic will highlight recent experimental and theoretical developments associated broadly with the formation and stability of nanostructured surfaces, thin films, and interfaces of non-oxide materials. Particular emphasis will be placed on their growth kinetics, thermal, chemical, and mechanical stabilities, and their role in energy harvesting and storage applications.

Suneel Kodambaka
University of California, Los Angeles
Email: kodambaka@ucla.edu

DCOMP

Computational Frontiers in Quantum Spin Systems

Computational studies of quantum spin systems have played key roles in many-body physics for a long time, in modeling magnetic properties of specific materials as well as more broadly, for developing new physical concepts and methods and for unbiased tests of low-energy theories. Recent progress in numerical simulation methods and new classes of models have brought quantum spin systems into renewed prominence at the forefront of research in exotic quantum many-body states and quantum phase transitions. This focus session will feature computational studies of quantum spin systems using, e.g., quantum Monte Carlo, DMRG, and tensor-network states. Fruitful interactions between analytical theory and computations will be highlighted. Specific topics include but are not limited to: exotic states (e.g., spin liquids), quantum phase transitions, entanglement, impurities and diorder, quantum dynamics, and novel computational techniques.

DCOMP

Modeling of Rare Events

Many dynamic processes in nature are in the form of rare events. The system spends most of its time in metastable states and only very rarely, hops from one metastable state to another. Understanding and modeling such rare transition events has been the subject of interest in physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and material sciences, to name a few. This session will bring together experts from different areas to discuss the current status of this exciting field. Theoretical, algorithmic and application issues will all be addressed.

DCOMP

What is Computational Physics? Advances in Research, Education, and Policy

The emerging challenge to computational physics is not to justify itself as a full-fledged third method of doing physics, equally significant as theory and experiment, but to integrate smoothly into all aspects of our profession. This means contributing to research progress in virtually all subfields of physics, and existing as a necessary component of the education of undergraduates and graduate students. Moreover the speed with which this must happen should match that in other sciences and engineering if physics is to remain the relevant engine for scientific development which it has been for centuries. This session will explore both innovative research, spanning the spectrum from pure computational advances and the development of new computational tools, to contributions to multidisciplinary research. The session will also include talks about policy and roles for institutions like professional societies, colleges, universities, and funding agencies – to develop relevant information and support innovative efforts to change practices and make computation a vital, central part of their mission.

DCOMP/GSNP

Friction, Fracture and Deformation Across Length Scales

This session focuses on the physics of friction, fracture and deformation, processes which involve mechanical response and energy dissipation at scales from the atomic to the macroscopic. Materials of interest include crystalline, nanostructured, and amorphous solids. Relevant topics include measurements via micro- and nano-scale probes such as atomic force microscopy, surface forces apparatus, and quartz crystal microbalance; atomic scale and multiscale simulations and theoretical models of mechanical response, microstructural evolution, pattern formation and scaling behavior; size effects in plasticity; stress-driven chemical reactions e.g. in deformation of energetic materials; brittle and ductile fracture/failure; tribology of clean material surfaces in vacuum, and coated or lubricated surfaces; and studies of cryotribology, stick-slip mechanisms, thermolubricity, cryolubricity and electronic/phononic and quantum contributions to friction. Applications of interest range over length scales from nanowires and micromachines (MEMS) up to geological processes such as tectonic faulting and earthquakes. Sessions will explore and compare the current state of experimental, theoretical, and simulation studies.

DCOMP/DMP

Multiscale Modeling

The emphasis of this session will be on methods and strategies to bridge spatial and temporal scales in condensed matter and materials systems. A key aim of multiscale modeling is to augment models of large scale systems by applying selected information from smaller scale models. Contributions are invited that demonstrate, for example, methods of coarse-graining from one physical scale to another, adaptive refinement strategies to increase local fidelity on demand, as well as dynamic bridging methods that pass data and parameters from smaller to larger scales. Challenges of the field include propagating the effects of fluctuations and disorder from smaller to larger scales, and quantifying the robustness of predictions. Applications to materials undergoing deformation processes, including structural transformations, materials subjected to radiation fields, as well as those coupling functional properties, such as multiferroics, are welcome. An understanding of the needs and challenges in exploring materials behavior in extreme and/or nonequilibrium conditions involving shock, intense radiation or very high magnetic and electric fields, are especially encouraged.

DCOMP/DMP/
GSCCM

Simulations of Matter at Extreme Conditions

The behavior of matter under extreme conditions of high pressures, high temperatures, high strains, and high strain rates is a scientific issue of fundamental importance. Geophysical processes in the core of the Earth and other planets, matter withstanding hypervelocity impacts of comets, shock wave compression of materials, detonation of explosives, high pressure and high temperature synthesis of novel materials, failure of materials reaching their intrinsic limit of performance, etc., all require an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of materials response at the atomic, microstructural, and continuum levels. Recent developments in the experimental realization of such extreme conditions in the laboratory, advances in ultrafast and ultra-high spatial resolution characterization, extensive efforts to extend simulations to experimental time and length scales by utilizing both the enormous increases in computational power and new simulation methods, all promise new scientific discoveries and important technological breakthroughs. This focus session, consisting of several invited and contributed talks, will assess recent experimental and computational efforts towards exploring the fundamental properties of matter at extreme conditions, including (1) high-pressure and high temperature synthesis and characterization of novel materials; (2) high strain rate phenomena occurring upon ultrafast energy deposition; (3) properties of matter in the warm dense regime; (4) ultrafast laser-matter interactions; (5) static high pressure and shock-induced materials behavior, including plasticity, phase transitions, and chemical reactions; (6) static and dynamic properties of energetic materials, including detonation phenomena, (7) new experimental capabilities in ultrafast and ultra-high spatial resolution characterization; and (8) new computational methods including development of interatomic potentials and multi-scale simulations.

DCOMP/DMP

Non-Adiabatic Dynamics in Irradiated Materials

The effects of irradiation on condensed matter are important to varied applications, from the nuclear industry to space technology and cancer therapy. Computer simulations of such irradiation have been constrained to tractable limits as the adiabatic limit (slow projectiles, energy transferred to nuclear motion), or the opposite, in which the energy is transferred to the electron subsystem only. Following the recent success in the first-principles calculation of the electronic stopping power of ions at intermediate velocities in varied solids – based on time-evolving TD-DFT – the moment is ripe for advancing the first-principles computation of nonadiabatic irradiation processes in materials and soft matter. The main aim of this symposium is to put together experts in new developments in electron-ion coupled dynamics, and experts in radiation effects to explore the potential of electronic structure based theoretical/computational approaches to understand irradiation of materials under extreme conditions.

DMP/DCOMP

Dielectric, Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Oxides

This topic focuses on dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric phenomena in oxides, their characterization by a broad range of techniques, and the growth of such materials in bulk, thin-film, superlattice, and nanostructured forms. Experimental results as well as theoretical, modeling/simulation, and materials-design approaches will be discussed. Specific areas of interest include domain structure and dynamics, lattice dielectric properties, impact of disorder on cooperative behavior, physics of phase transitions, and the coupling between ferroelectric, piezoelectric, optical, transport, and multiferroic properties. This topic will in particular discuss how such properties are modified by nanoscale geometries, the effects of strain, surfaces and interfaces, chemical environment, and electrical boundary conditions. Contributions addressing how local properties in interfacial or other nanoscale systems can be harnessed in macroscopic applications will be particularly encouraged. As there is potential overlap with other focus topics in the areas of multiferroics and interfacial effects, the organizers will share information to group abstracts in a consistent fashion. In general, authors in these areas are encouraged to submit their abstracts to this topic if the presented work focuses on ferroelectric or piezoelectric properties.

DMP/DCOMP

Computational Design of New Materials

Advances in theoretical understanding, algorithms and computational power are enabling computational tools to play an increasing role in materials discovery, development and optimization. This focus topic will cover recent applications and methodological developments at the frontier of computational materials design, ranging from quantum-level prediction to macro-scale property optimization. Of particular interest is computational and theoretical work that features a strong connection to experiment. Topics include (but are not be limited to) first-principles materials design, algorithms to search the structure-composition design space, and theory/methodological innovations that improve the scope, accuracy and efficiency of computational materials design.

DMP/GERA/
FIAP/DCOMP

Physics of Energy Storage Materials

Energy storage is a cross-cutting topic that impacts applications ranging from transportation and portable electronics to large-scale (grid-based) storage for intermittent, renewable power sources. As the properties of energy storage devices depend critically upon the active materials from which they are constituted, improvements in capacity and power density hinge upon achieving a comprehensive understanding of the underlying materials physics and chemistry. Towards this goal, this Focus Topic will broadly cover the physics of energy storage materials. Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited to: advanced lithium-ion and metal-air batteries; hydrogen storage; supercapacitors; catalytic phenemonena in energy storage; nanostructured materials; intercalation and insertion compounds; ionic and electronic conductive polymers; novel synthesis methods; recent advances in real-time or in situ characterization techniques; and computational approaches ranging from ab initio calculations to mesoscale and continuum modeling. Of particular interest are studies which elucidate performance-limiting phenomena or which describe novel compounds or synthetic approaches aimed at overcoming these limitations.

Organizers:
Vojislav Stamenkovic
Argonne National Laboratory
Email: vrstamenkovic@anl.gov

Venkat Srinivasan
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Email: VSrinivasan@lbl.gov

Vince Battaglia
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Email: vsbattaglia@lbl.gov

GSNP/DCOMP

Spin Glasses: Advances, Algorithms and Applications

Spin glasses continue to be an active and controversial area in statistical physics with ramifications across many disciplines. As a paradigmatic example of frustration and rough free energy landscapes, spin glasses have applications across multiple fields. For example, p-spin models are used to understand structural glasses, replica methods originally developed for spin glasses are used to study ensembles of NP-hard problems in computer science and spin glass-models with exotic interactions are needed to analyze error correction techniques in topological quantum computing. Furthermore, spin glasses have motivated the development of powerful algorithms such as parallel tempering, genetic algorithms with triadic crossover, extremal optimization, etc., that are widely used across a spectrum of complex optimization problems that display rough free energy landscapes such as predicting the conformation of biomolecules or solving combinatorial optimization problems. Thus problems based on spin-glass like Hamiltonians are under active study using complex computational methods and continue to spawn algorithmic advances.

GQI

Superconducting Qubits

Superconducting qubits are a leading candidate for scalable quantum information processing. This session will focus on progress toward the implementation of high fidelity algorithms in multi qubit circuits. Potential topics include state and process tomography in multi qubit circuits, application of optimal control theory to superconducting qubits, novel coupling schemes for flexible, scalable architecture, and advances in state measurement as they support realization of small scale algorithms.

Organizer:
Matthias Steffen
IBM
Email: msteffe@us.ibm.com

GQI

Quantum Optics with Superconducting Circuits

In the last few years there has been rapid progress in the manipulation of microwave radiation at the single photon level using superconducting circuits. Potential topics might include creation and detection of quantum states of light, manipulation of itinerant photons, parametric processes, and cavity quantum electrodynamics.

Organizer:
Alexandre Blais
Université de Sherbrooke
Email: alexandre.blais@usherbrooke.ca

GQI

Semiconductor Qubits

In recent years, qubits realized in semiconductors have made major advances in multiple materials. Spins in electrostatically defined quantum dots in both group-III-V and group-IV semiconductors, in optically-controlled self-assembled quantum dots, and bound to shallow impurities, have all witnessed coherent control with increasing fidelity and progress in the mitigation of decoherence. This focus session is intended to draw together progress on development of single qubits and multiple coupled qubits across different semiconducting materials and control methods. Progress in fabrication, state initialization, read-out, coherent manipulation, and theoretical modeling are all of interest.

Organizer:
Thaddeus Ladd
HRL Laboratories, LLC
Email: tdladd@hrl.com

GQI

Quantum Information for Quantum Foundations

Over the past two decades the field of Quantum Foundations experienced a remarkable growth, with many researchers joining the community and with a flourishing of exciting results. This process has been boosted by the injection of fresh ideas from Quantum Information, which offered a new angle on the counterintuitive world of Quantum Mechanics and inaugurated a new pragmatic approach. Insights from Quantum Information have recently led to reconstructions of Quantum Theory from operational principles and to the discovery of unexpected links between fundamental quantum features. The aim of this session is to provide a forum for the assessment of the recent results at the interface between Quantum Foundations and Quantum Information and to challenge the community to extend the impact of the informational paradigm to other areas of fundamental physics, in particular thermodynamics and field theory. Relevant topics include informational principles for Quantum Theory, exploration of the boundary of quantum correlations, information-processing in general probabilistic theories, fundamental structures in Hilbert space, categorical, modal, and Bayesian approaches.

Organizer:
Giulio Chiribella
Perimeter Institute
Email: gchiribella@perimeterinstitute.ca

GQI

Qubits in Diamond

Diamond has recently emerged as a prime candidate for building quantum technologies. Electron spins in diamond can be coherently controlled and read out even at room temperature, and allow for a robust spin-photon interface; nearby nuclear spins can be exploited as quantum memories. This focus session is targeted at major experimental and theoretical challenges and exciting recent advances in the field. Topics of interest include 1) quantum information processing, 2) quantum sensing, 3) diamond growth and microfabrication, 4) diamond photonic and electronic devices, and 5) coupling of diamond spins to electromagnetic, optical and mechanical resonators in hybrid devices.

Organizer:
Ronald Hanson
Delft University of Technology
Email: R.Hanson@tudelft.nl

GQI

Topologically Protected Qubits

Topologically protected qubits use non-local degrees of freedom of topologically ordered systems to encode and manipulate quantum information, and are intrinsically immune against local sources of decoherence. The exceptional intrinsic fault-tolerance of topological qubits provides a route to overcome a major roadblock to quantum computing - decoherence. This session will focus on recent advances in realizing non-trivial topological states of matter in the laboratory. Specific areas of interest include solid-state and cold-atom systems which are believed to host Ising anyons, the simplest non-Abelian excitations. The main emphasis of the session will be on realization, detection and manipulation of Ising anyons (Majorana fermions) in realistic physical systems. The session will have a mix of theoretical and experimental talks on Fractional Quantum Hall systems and topological superconductors, including the recently proposed Ising heterostructures. Contributions addressing how one can exploit topological properties of these systems for quantum information processing are particularly encouraged.

Organizer:
Roman Lutchyn
Microsoft
Email: rolutchy@microsoft.com

GIMS

Advances in Scanned Probe Microscopy I: Novel Approaches and Ultrasensitive Detection

The APS Topical Group on Instrumentation and Measurement (GIMS) invites papers on advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy and related instrumentation, with a focus on novel approaches and ultrasensitive detection. Advances in scanned probe force measurement and mapping exploiting novel tip-sample interactions, improved detection sensitivity and widening of circumstances under which they are applied continue to push the frontier in the measurement of a broad range of physical, chemical and biological systems. This session will focus on the continued innovative development of scanned probe microscopy and related instrumentation. Particular advances and applications are seen in new approaches to force detection and novel techniques for probing a variety of surfaces and interactions. This session seeks to bring together expertise from a variety of fields in scanned probe microscopy that will further the development of advanced instrumentation and measurement science focused on the atomic and nanometer scale.

Organizers:
Joe Stroscio
Eric Hudson
Andreas Heinrich

GIMS

Advances in Scanned Probe Microscopy II: High frequencies and Optical Techniques

The APS Topical Group on Instrumentation and Measurement (GIMS) invites papers on advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy and related instrumentation with a focus on optical techniques and radio-frequency measurements. A severe limitation in traditional scanning probe microscopy is low temporal resolution, originating from the diminished high-frequency response of readout circuitry. It was recently shown that some of these obstacles can be overcome. Recent advances in the combination of scanning probe and optical techniques have resulted for example in ultra-fast (sub-picosecond) temporal resolution and tip-enhanced Raman scattering. This session seeks to bring together expertise from a variety of fields in scanned probe microscopy and optical techniques that will further the development of advanced instrumentation and measurement science focused on the atomic and nanometer scale.

Organizers:
Joe Stroscio
Eric Hudson
Andreas Heinrich

GIMS

Advances in Scanned Probe Microscopy III: Scanning Probes Spectroscopic Techniques

The APS Topical Group on Instrumentation and Measurement (GIMS) invites papers on advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy and related instrumentation with a focus on spectroscopic measurements. The scanning tunneling microscope has matured over the last few years into a tool that is now routinely applied in energy-resolved measurement modes – one could argue that this is its claim to fame these days. The atomic-force microscope has recently been used to measure force-distance curves which give detailed information about atomic species on the surface and at the tip apex and are loosely included in the term spectroscopy. This session seeks to bring together expertise from a variety of aspects of scanned probe microscopy that will further the development of advanced instrumentation and measurement science focused on the atomic and nanometer scale.

Organizers:
Joe Stroscio
Eric Hudson
Andreas Heinrich

GIMS

Novel Instrumentation & Measurements for Biomedical Research

The APS Topical Group on Instrumentation and Measurement (GIMS) invites papers on advances in the development of techniques and instrumentation for biomedical research. Diseases, such as cancer, represent a tremendous burden of both economic and human impact. Recent progress in instrumentation and advanced measurements has set the stage to open a new frontier in biomedical research to tackle these problems by enabling the convergence of the physical and engineering sciences with the life sciences and medicine. This focus topic session seeks to bring together experts working in a variety of disciplines near the intersection of biomedical research, physics, mathematics and engineering to discuss the latest advances in instrumentation and technique for elucidating various diseases. Moreover, the purpose of this session is to educate the physics community about the potential to advance medicine.

Organizer:
Larry Nagahara

GIMS

X-ray and Neutron Instruments and Measurement Science

Papers on instrumentation including novel sample environments of extreme conditions for imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopies are invited. Papers on imaging of all types including radiography, phase, absorption, or speckle contrast, magnetic contrast, topography, and tomography are desired. Papers on diffraction and elastic scattering of all types including grazing incidence and small angle scattering from polymers, surfaces, crystals, and multilayers are desired. Papers on spectroscopies of all types including EXAFS, fluorescence, inelastic scattering, time resolved scattering, and spin-echo are desired. Papers from all users of x-ray and neutron radiation are invited.

Organizers:
Albert T. Macrander
Timothy J. Graber
Zahirul Islam
Janos Kirz
Terrence Jach

DMP/GIMS

Imaging and Modifying Materials at the Limits of Space and Time Resolution

This focus topic covers the rapidly evolving field of material modification and imaging/probing with high spatial and temporal resolution. The ability to achieve high spatial resolution in material modification often relies on fast and highly localized energy deposition and, unavoidably, creates the conditions of strong thermodynamic, electronic, and/or mechanical nonequilibrium. The development of advanced imaging techniques capable for providing time-resolved information on the ultrafast structural and phase transformations is critical for gaining fundamental understanding of the material behavior far from the equilibrium and optimization of the conditions in the nanoscale material processing applications. The focus topic aims to bring together researchers involved in experimental, theoretical, and computational investigations in the general area of high-resolution material modification and imaging and to facilitate active broad-ranging interdisciplinary discussions. Topics of interest include but not limited to:

• material response to intense optical excitation, ion/cluster bombardment, severe mechanical deformation induced by mechanical impact
• photo/shock-induced phase transformations, generation of new metastable phases/structures (bulk, nano, surfaces)
• transient modification of material properties by electronic excitation
• mechanisms of mass and heat transfer under non-equilibrium conditions
• double/multiple laser pulse experiments with variable delay, pulse-shaping techniques
• laser processing below the diffraction limit, nano-patterning, micro- and nano-fabrication
• computer modeling and theoretical analysis of transient material behavior far from equilibrium
• time-resolved experimental imaging of ultrafast processes, including optical pump-probe, x-ray and electron diffraction techniques, emerging techniques for femtosecond diffractive imaging using e.g. free-electron lasers or fast electron beams
• imaging/probing of laser ablation and ablation plume expansion
• time/spatially-resolved imaging of phase transformations, fracture, shock formation, mechanical spallation
• imaging transient molecular dynamics in biological systems using free-electron X-ray lasers, and modeling of subsequent damage processes

Organizers:
Chris Jacobsen
Northwestern University
Email: c-jacobsen@northwestern.edu

Bernd Kabius
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Email: bernd.kabius@pnl.gov

GIMS

Measurements in High Magnetic Fields

The challenges and successes in producing and measuring in high magnetic fields have blossomed in recent years with the welcome proliferation of high magnetic field laboratories worldwide. High magnetic fields provide opportunities in quantum matter, spin physics, biology, energy, and more, where the development of the appropriate magnetic field environment and the exceptional tools developed specifically for those fields, or that require those fields for operation have advanced many areas of science from NMR to superconductivity to petroleomics and more. This session is focused on advanced measurement techniques that either require high fields for operation, or mitigate measurement problems generated by those fields.

Organizers:
Eric Palm
Jonathan Betts
Charles Mielke
Gregory Boebinger

DPB

Coordination, Coherence and Synchronization through Hydrodynamic Interactions

Many systems in nature are characterized by the behavior of multiple independent elements, whose interactions are mediated by hydrodynamic forces established in the surrounding fluid. Examples of such hydrodynamic interactions include the collective behavior of swimming bacteria or sperm, and the coordinated motion of elastic filaments in a viscous fluid, such as flagella or cilia and the behavior of colloidal suspensions. We invite abstracts describing experimental, theoretical or numerical studies of these systems.

Organizer:
Tom Powers
Brown University
Email: Thomas_Powers@brown.edu

GERA/FIAP

Scalable Photovoltaics Technologies

Our present dependency on fossil fuels for the generation of electrical energy, with all of its undesirable side effects, calls for a new technology, preferably renewable in scope. Solar energy promises just that, if we can develop scalable technologies of high efficiency energy conversion. This symposium will focus on the state of the art as well as frontiers in photovoltaic technologies that hold potential for achieving just that. Multijunction solar cell technologies, thin film compound semiconductor materials, devices and technologies, materials for organic photovoltaics, as well as any frontier technology that can clearly indicate practical scalability to meet our energy challenge will be welcome. Topics will range from fundamental considerations of the key roadblocks to practical and applied demonstrations of technologies.

Organizers:
Mark Bernius
Email: MTBernius@dow.com

Jeffrey Nelson
Email: jsnelso@sandia.gov

FIAP/GERA/
DMP

Electricity-to-Light Conversion: Solid State Lighting

This topic will focus on fundamental advances in the growth, characterization, and experimental as well as theoretical understanding of wide-gap semiconductors for applications in light emitting devices for solid state lighting. Contributions will cover fundamental physics related to the electricity-to-light conversion, such as band structure, quantum size effects, strain and piezoelectric effects, excitons, and surface phenomena. Contributions on epitaxial and bulk growth are encouraged, including MOVPE, MBE, HVPE, polar and semi-polar epitaxy, InGaN and InAlN alloys, and low-dimensional systems. Also encouraged is the presentation of studies of defects and doping, structural characterization, and optical characterization exploring and identifying mechanisms that influence radiative and non-radiative recombination. This topic also covers electrical characterization, carrier transport, photoconductivity, and device physics pertaining to diode lasers and light emitting diodes.

Organizers:
Daniel Koleske
Email: ddkoles@sandia.gov

DMP/GERA/
FIAP

Thermoelectric Materials for Power Generation and Cooling

A large portion of the power produced worldwide is lost as heat to the environment. In a typical combustion engine, for instance, only 25% of the fuel chemical energy is used for mobility and accessories. If even a modest fraction of the lost thermal energy can be converted to electricity, the potential impact on energy efficiency could be enormous, leading to improved fuel economy and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Thermoelectric devices convert heat to electricity directly via the Seebeck effect. Alternatively, under electrical excitation these devices can provide heating and cooling via the Peltier effect. Thermoelectric technology is all solid-state, robust, and have a high power density. From a materials perspective the efficiency of the energy converter depends on the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of the materials comprising it, which is defined as ZT = σ S2 T/ k where S, σ, k, and T are the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and absolute temperature, respectively. Although there is no fundamental upper limit to ZT, commercially available materials rarely exceed ZT=1 resulting in performance less than 10 percent of the Carnot limit. The goal of this focus topic is to bring together scientists working on both bulk and nanostructured thermoelectric materials to examine the current approaches for increasing ZT towards improved energy efficiency. Topics will range from fundamental to applied physics and will include:

• Strategies to understand and control thermal conductivity reduction in thermoelectric materials
• Methods to improve thermoelectric power factor (S2σ) beyond optimally-doped bulk materials
• Phenomena that influence thermoelectric performance at low temperatures
• Techniques and methods to measure and predict thermoelectric properties

Organizers:
Jeffrey Urban
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Email: jjurban@lbl.gov

David Broido
Boston College
Email: david.broido.1@bc.edu

Joshua Zide
University of Deleware
Email: zide@udel.edu

GERA/FIAP

Frontiers in Computational Thermodynamics of Materials

This session focuses on novel methods for thermodynamic and kinetic descriptions of materials at the atomic and the macro scale. The integration of computational algorithms to quantum mechanics and thermodynamic parametrization has shown to be very fruitful for a rational materials design. This synergy is revolutionizing the scale and potential applications of predictive tools in condensed matter physics and materials science. This session is aimed collect unique contributions and to foster interactions between the computational, theoretical and experimental communities. For this year, the session covers the most recent developments in this field such as:

• high-throughput computational materials science and its impact in R&D
• algorithms for rapid thermodynamic and kinetic characterization for novel materials discovery
• algorithms for surface/properties determination
• order and disorder from first principles at the macro and nanoscale
• incorporating finite temperature effects (vibration entropy,  configurational disorder, etc.) in first-principles-based modeling
• the Wang-Landau method in computational materials science

Organizer:
Stefano Curtarolo
Department of Materials Science and Physics, Duke University

FEd/SPS

Research Collaboration Between Mentors and Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate research often occurs within the context of the challenges and rewards of the mentoring relationship between faculty and student. This session provides a setting for coupled presentations by faculty-student pairs. The expectation is that the faculty member will provide the broader physics background of an undergraduate research area, and convey how undergraduate students have profitably worked within it. The student presenter will describe the results of the research completed while being mentored by the faculty member.

To participate in this session, two abstracts are required. Each should include the faculty-student pair as co-authors, with the presenter being first author in each case. Unless otherwise requested, the faculty presentation will precede the student presentation.

Organizer:
Richard Peterson
Bethel University
St. Paul, MN 55112
Phone: (651) 638-6465
Email: petric@bethel.edu

FEd/FIAP

Students, Physics, and Innovation

Physics as a discipline is a highly versatile platform for conceiving of and designing new technological products as well as for defining and tackling the challenges associated with bringing an idea to the point where it adds value to society. This session solicits contributed talks and posters from faculty and industrial physics mentors who are involved developing physics innovation and commercialization projects or curricula in innovation and enterprise, and from undergraduate students who are involved in such projects.

Organizer:
Randall Tagg
Department of Physics - Campus Box 157 - Office: NC3609A
University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO 80217-3364