The E-MRS Spring Meeting brings together the international materials research community to discuss recent advances in materials design, synthesis, characterization, and applications.
Meet us at the E-MRS Spring Meeting 2026, taking place from May 25 to 29, 2026, at the Convention Centre of Strasbourg, France. We will be present at the exhibition from May 26 to 28, 2026, at Booth 55.
- Conference: May 25 to 29, 2026
- Exhibition: May 26 to 28, 2026
- Location: Convention Centre of Strasbourg, France
- Link: https://www.european-mrs.com/meetings/2026-spring-meeting-exhibit
This year Park Systems will be sponsoring the following symposia:
- Symposium B: Nano-engineered coatings and thin films: from design to applications
- Symposium C: Synthesis, processing and characterization of nanoscale multifunctional oxide films
These symposia address key challenges in the development and characterization of advanced thin-film and oxide-based materials.
Scientific Contribution
Park Systems will present two scientific contributions during the E-MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit 2026, highlighting advanced characterization methods for oxide thin films through scanning probe microscopy and imaging spectroscopic ellipsometry.
Topical cluster: Thin films: from growth to processing and applications
Symposium C: Synthesis, processing and characterization of nanoscale multifunctional oxide films X and 10th E-MRS & MRS-J bilateral symposium
Analysing Oxide Thin Films using Scanning Probe Microscopy
Date & Time: May 25, 2026 | 09:00–09:15
Session: C01 Session 1
Presenter: James Kerfoot
Metal oxide thin films represent a highly diverse class of materials, ranging from established ferroelectric perovskites to transparent semiconductors, catalysts, and emerging materials for applications such as memristors. Their broad range of structural, electrical, and functional properties requires analytical techniques capable of probing material behavior at the nanoscale.
This talk will provide an overview of state-of-the-art AFM-based techniques for investigating thin film metal oxides, including local conductance, work function, piezoelectric response, catalytic activity, and photocurrent mapping. It will also demonstrate how Park Systems’ AFM platforms combine high-precision imaging with automated workflows, enabling straightforward measurements using techniques such as conductive AFM, heterodyne Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy, dual-frequency resonance-tracking Piezoresponse Force Microscopy, photocurrent mapping, and nanopipette-based scanning probe approaches.
New Concepts and Current Applications of Imaging Spectroscopic Ellipsometry in the Microscopic Characterization of Oxide Nanofilms
Date & Time: May 28, 2026 | 09:15–09:30
Session: C12 Session 12
Presenter: Peter H. Thiesen
Imaging Spectroscopic Ellipsometry combines the strengths of ellipsometry and optical microscopy, creating a powerful all-optical, non-contact metrology technique for microscopic thin-film characterization. By recording data for each detector pixel, ISE enables new approaches for evaluating layer thickness, optical properties, coating homogeneity, and microscopic variations across complex samples.
This presentation will explore current applications of ISE in oxide nanofilm characterization, including spatial Atomic Layer Deposition structures, microscopic Delta/Psi and thickness mapping, and operando studies of buried oxide layers. The talk will also introduce Imaging Mueller Matrix Ellipsometry, offering a new perspective on thin-film characterization, particularly for anisotropic materials.
Let’s Meet in Strasbourg
We look forward to meeting researchers and partners at the E-MRS Spring Meeting 2026 and to discussing challenges and approaches in the characterization of thin films and functional materials.