The International Conference on Optics of Surfaces and Interfaces (OSI) is a well established biennial meeting that gathers researchers from all over the world from diverse fields of surface/interface optics, including nano-systems and metamaterials.

Optical spectroscopy provides non-invasive, in-situ, operando, real time (and sometimes femtosecond time-resolved) probing of surfaces and buried interfaces over macroscopic areas, features that complement atomic-scale probes such as scanning-tunneling microscopy, and has a particular focus on both experiment and solid state theory.

Since its inception back in 1995, the International Conference on Optics of Surfaces and Interfaces (OSI) has included cutting-edge experimental and theoretical work in ellipsometry, reflectance-anisotropy spectroscopy, magneto-optics, Raman scattering and non-linear optics (second-harmonic and sum-frequency generation). More recent OSI conferences have also featured work on optical methods that resolve sub-wavelength structures, plasmonics, organic and biological interfaces, nanostructures, graphene-like surfaces including transition metal dichalcogenides, meta-surfaces and single nano-objects. An emerging field of metamaterials applied to subwavelength optical devices is now present in the OSI plethora of topics.

The OSI biennial conference started in Rome in 1995. Subsequent conferences were held in Åalesund (Norway), Sainte-Maxime (France), Bad Honnef (Germany), León (México), Aalborg (Denmark), Grand Targee (USA), Ischia (Italy), Akumal (México), Chemnitz (Germany), Austin (USA), in Dublin (Ireland) and in León, México (in 2019). The conference has alternated between Europe and the Americas reflecting its international profile. After 2019 it was originally planned to organize OSI-14 in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA in 2021. However, the biannual series of conferences had to be interrupted due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Now, however, the OSI series will be re-started again and organized in  2024 in Mauterndorf, Austria, organized by C. Cobet, E. Mayrhofer, K. Hingerl (JKU Linz), N. Esser (TU Berlin and ISAS Berlin) and D.R.T. Zahn (TU Chemnitz).

Mauterndorf, approximately 90 km south of Salzburg, is a beautiful location in the “Hohen Tauern” mountain area in the larger state of Salzburg, Austria. The conference center is located  in the medieval castle (1280 A.C.) often used by the Austrian semiconductor physicists for workshops and winter schools with morning and evening sessions. The surrounding main chain of the Alps guarantees in winter time that the afternoon breaks can be devoted to skiing or horse sleigh rides.

info.OSI14(at)jku.at