Italian - Australian Workshop on future directions in spectroscopy and imaging with synchrotron radiation.

February 3^rd - 5^th 2003,
Cumberland Lorne Conference and leisure Resort, Lorne, Victoria.

Both Australia and Italy have active synchrotron radiation research programs: Italy operates the third generation ring Elettra in Trieste while Australia is constructing its own synchrotron light source in Melbourne (see www.synchrotron.vic.gov.au and www.elettra.trieste.it).

It is therefore an opportune moment for researchers from both countries to come together and share their experience and discuss plans for the future.

The intention of this conference is to permit a select group of experts to discuss results and methods in spectroscopy and imaging, two of the most rapidly expanding synchrotron radiation based techniques. The fields covered will be:

• surface analysis, including spectroscopy and spectromicroscopy;
  
• surface imaging with soft x-rays;
  
• medical and materials science imaging with hard x-rays;
  
• spectroscopy of atoms and molecules.
  

In particular, the workshop will provide an opportunity for the local community to examine future trends in x-ray spectroscopy and microscopy, to interact with a group of experienced Italian scientists and, hopefully, to form a consensus on the appropriate development of beam lines and end stations at the Australian synchrotron radiation facility.

This workshop has been scheduled to follow a "Users Meeting" organised by the Australian Synchrotron Project Team. (January 29^th - 31^st 2003, at the University of Melbourne (see www.synchrotron.vic.gov.au/whats_new/user_workshops.asp). Whereas the Users Meeting will bring together local and overseas experts covering the entire breadth of storage ring design and synchrotron radiation experimentation, the present residential workshop will provide opportunities for more intensive examination of a restricted range of techniques.

Organising committee: Robert Leckey (La Trobe University, Melbourne), Kevin Prince (Elettra), John Riley (La Trobe University) Stephen Wilkins (CSIRO, Clayton, Victoria), Keith Nugent ( Melbourne University), Nicola Sasanelli (Scientific Attache, Italian Embassy, Canberra), Rob Lewis (Monash University, Melbourne.)

The Workshop acknowledges generous financial support from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, www.atse.org.au, and the Italian Embassy in Australia.

Workshop Program

6.00  Check-in and registration.
7.30  Dinner

Overview session: recent results and the present state-of-the-art.
    Chair: R. Leckey
Introduction and welcome: N. Sasanelli, R. Leckey
G. Paolucci "Research with synchrotron radiation at Elettra, an overview."
K. Nugent, J. Riley, R. Garrett "Overview of the Australian imaging and spectroscopy community"

Spectroscopy of free atoms and molecules
    Chair: J. Williams
M. N. Piancastelli "Photoexcitation dynamics of free molecules"
L. Avaldi "Coincidence spectroscopy of atoms and Molecules"
P. Hammond "VUV beamline characterisation and optimisation using fluorescence from highly excited to metastable states of gaseous targets"

X-ray imaging
    Chair: K. Nugent
G. Tromba "Mammography"
R. Lewis "Phase contrast X-ray imaging: will it work for medical applications"
S. Wilkins "New directions in X-ray imaging using synchrotron radiation sources"
M. Morgan "Coherent X-ray scatter imaging"

Spectroscopy
    Chair: K.C. Prince
A. Goldoni "New materials: spectroscopy of fullerenes"
A. Stampfl "Synchrotron Imaging Modes"
Buckley "Threshold Auger spectroscopy of interfacial species"
W. Skinner "Synchrotron X-ray Spectroscopy Studies of Biological Tissues - Tree Roots and Human Hair"

Soft x-ray microscopy for biology and novel materials
    Chair: J. Riley
B. Kaulich "Phase contrast and scanning microscopy for biology and nanotechnology"
M. Kiskinova "Photoemission microscopy and spectromicroscopy of semiconductors"

Oxide and related materials studied by synchrotron radiation
    Chair: G. Paolucci
F. Parmigiani "Spectroscopy of oxides for high tech applications"
K.C. Prince "X-ray emission studies of oxide materials"

Novel x-ray optical devices
    Chair: S. Wilkins
E. Di Fabrizio "Novel X-ray devices for imaging"
K. Nugent "Phase recovery and topological phases in X-ray imaging"

Discussion session:
Development of recommendations for the Australian facility.
Opportunities for Italian-Australian co-operation.
Chair: F. Larkins