Facets of Heteroepitaxy: Theory, Experiment, and Computation (08w5050)

This conference held at BIRS, Feb 10 - Feb 15, 2008, will bring together mathematicians, scientists, and engineers to discuss a process, named heteroepitaxy. Quantum dot materials can be made by this process. Such materials have novel optical and electronic properties; in fact some types of solid state lasers have been made using them. A very promising way to manufacture such quantum dots is to take advantage of the fact that due to elastic strain, these quantum dots self-assemble. Many aspects of these mechanisms remain mysterious and the purpose of this meeting is to bring together a diverse group of people to help to shed some new light on this important process.

The Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery (BIRS) is a collaborative Canada-US-Mexico venture that provides an environment for creative interaction as well as the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and methods within the Mathematical Sciences, with related disciplines and with industry. The research station is located at The Banff Centre in Alberta and is supported by Canada's Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Alberta's Advanced Education and Technology, and Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologí­a (CONACYT).