Technology Issues and Market Forecasts . Organizers of the AVS 45th International Symposium are seeking papers on a range of topics, including partial pressure measurements for process control, selected energy epitaxy, applied surface science, electronic materials and processing, plasma science, and thin films. AVS encourages authors to submit abstracts by E-mail. The deadline for E-mail submissions is May 11. The organizers are soliciting papers on topics such as defect inspection and repair, defect printability, and metrology.
Additional topics are wafer fab issues, and photomask processes and materials.
Abstracts are due May 4. Authors sending printed abstracts must mail three copies to Photomask '98, SPIE, P.O. Box 10, Bellingham, WA 98227. The trade group hosted its last such visit in 1996. Since then, a special industrial zone has been established near Moscow in the city of Zelenograd, considered Russia's Silicon Valley. The zone offers tax exemptions, energy payment preferences, and government-backed credit guarantees.