DMP-Sponsored or Co-Sponsored Focus Topics and Sorting Categories for the 2020 APS March Meeting
DMP-led Focus Topics
07.01.01 Topological materials: synthesis, characterization and modeling
Organizers: Sean Oh (Rutgers); Peter Armitage (Johns Hopkins)
There has been explosive growth in the study of topological insulators in which the combined effects of the spin-orbit coupling and time-reversal symmetry yield a bulk energy gap with novel gapless surface states that are robust against scattering. Moreover, the field has expanded in scope to include topological phases more complex materials such as Kondo systems, magnetic materials, and complex heterostructures capable of harboring exotic topologically nontrivial state of quantum matter. The observation of theoretical predictions depends greatly on sample quality and there remain significant challenges in identifying and synthesizing the underlying materials that have properties amenable to the study of the bulk, surface and interface states of interest. This topic will focus on fundamental advances in the synthesis, characterization and modeling of candidate topological materials in various forms including single crystals, exfoliated and epitaxial thin films and heterostructures, and nanowires and nanoribbons, in addition to theoretical studies that illuminate the synthesis effort and identify new candidate materials. Of equal interest is the characterization of these samples using structural, transport, magnetic, optical, scanning probe, photoemission and other spectroscopic techniques, and related theoretical efforts aimed at modeling various properties both in the surface/interface and in the bulk.
07.01.02 Dirac and Weyl semimetals: materials and modeling
Organizers: Su-yang Xu (MIT); Prineha Narang (Harvard)
The field of topological semimetals has developed dramatically over the past few years. After the initial prediction and discovery of Dirac and Weyl semimetals – materials whose low energy excitations can be described by the Dirac or Weyl equation of high-energy physics – the field has now expanded to include new low-energy excitations not possible in a high-energy setting. Semimetals with different degeneracy at crossing points or lines have been predicted. Transport theories and effects have been predicted and proposed in order to measure a small subset of the topological characteristics of the semimetals (such as Chern numbers). Furthermore, semimetals whose existence is guaranteed by filling constraints derived from the presence of certain orbitals at certain points in specific lattices have also been mentioned in the literature.
Distinct from conventional low carrier density systems, Dirac, Weyl and other semimetals are expected to possess exotic properties due to the nontrivial topologies of their electronic wave functions. A subset of the novel properties predicted include Berry phase contributions to transport properties, chiral anomaly, quantized nonlinear transport under circularly polarized light, protected Fermi arc surface states, suppressed scattering, optical control of topology, landau level spectroscopy, superconductivity, and non-local transport. While promising candidate materials exist for many but certainly not all of the topological semimetals, many phenomena have yet to be clearly resolved.
This focus topic aims to explore Dirac, Weyl and other new semimetals and the novel phenomena associated with them. We solicit contributions on predictions, new materials synthesis and characterization, new phenomena in topological semimetals, as well as studies on both conventional and unconventional semimetals, both in the bulk and on the surfaces of samples that accentuate the non-trivial topological character of the new semimetals.
07.01.03 Topological superconductivity: materials and modeling [same as 09.01.02]
Organizers: Jimmy Williams (Maryland); Liang Fu (MIT)
Topological superconductors are superconductors characterized by topological invariants associated with the band structure of the Bogoliubov quasiparticles. They have been a focus of significant experimental and theoretical efforts in view of their relevance to fundamental physical and mathematical concepts, and potential for quantum computation. Along with the search for bulk materials candidates, there has been much recent progress in studies of atomically thin films, artificially engineered structures, and the surfaces of bulk materials. This Focus Topic will cover topological superconductivity and the closely related non-centrosymmetric superconductivity in new experimental settings involving transition metal dichalcogenides, topological insulators, Weyl semi-metals, FeSe-based systems, graphene, engineered heterostructures, semiconducting nanowires, atomic chains and Shiba states, junctions with ferromagnets, quantum Hall states, and driven systems and Floquet states. This Focus Topic will also cover the new understanding of bulk materials candidates such as Sr2RuO4 and the emerging opportunities in platforms such as twisted bilayers of 2D materials, and advances in strategies for quantum information processing using topological superconductivity.
07.01.04 Magnetic topological materials
Organizers: Rob McQueeney (Ames Lab); Dmitry Yarotski (Los Alamos National Lab); Allan McDonald (U. Texas)
The intersection of long-range magnetic order with topological electronic states is developing into an exciting area in condensed matter physics. A variety of exotic quantum states have been predicted to emerge, such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect, Weyl semimetals, and axion insulators. There are many open questions that in these materials that have inspired rapid theoretical and experimental developments. For example, although the exciting phenomena listed above have been predicted, only a few experimental realizations have been found to date. However, there are several candidate materials that have been proposed or synthesized very recently, some in just the last year. Thus, a focus session on theoretical predictions, experimental methods that are sensitive to the topological nature of magnetic materials, and the discovery of magnetic topological materials in both single-crystal, thin film, and heterostructure morphologies would be timely and well-attended.
08.01.02 Dopants and defects in semiconductors (DMP, DCOMP, FIAP) [same as 16.01.28]
Organizers: Kunal Mukherjee (UC Santa Barbara); Joel Varley (Lawrence Livermore National Lab); Rafael Jaramillo (MIT)
Defects profoundly affect the electronic and optical properties of semiconductors. They control charge carrier concentration, transport, and recombination rates. They also regulate mass-transport processes involved in migration, diffusion, and precipitation. The success of microelectronic and optoelectronic semiconductor devices has relied on the engineering of defects in the form of dopants and interfaces, all while mitigating unwanted defects. Likewise, understanding, characterizing, and controlling dopants and defects is essential for technologies such as wide-band gap lighting and power electronics, materials for quantum information sciences, memory, and thin film solar cells. This focus topic is the physics of dopants and defects in existing and emerging semiconductors, from the bulk to the atomic-scale, encompassing point, line, and planar defects, and including surfaces and interfaces. We solicit abstracts on experimental, computational, and theoretical investigations of the electronic, structural, optical, and magnetic properties of dopants and defects in elemental and compound semiconductors, nanostructured materials such as nanowires and quantum dots, photodetectors, and light emitters. We especially encourage submissions in the areas of: (1) wide band-gap electronic materials such as diamond, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, and gallium oxide, (2) Inorganic semiconductors for photovoltaics, and (3) semiconductor devices that are enabled by structural and deep electronic defects, e.g. materials for phase-change, phosphorescence, radiation detection, and quantum information applications. In addition, we welcome abstracts on specific, relevant techniques such as materials processing, property determination, and advanced characterization such as defect imaging and spectroscopy.
08.01.03 Dielectric and ferroic oxides (DMP, DCOMP, FIAP) [same as 16.01.27]
Organizers: Ryan Need (University of Florida); Geneva Laurita (Bates College); Turan Birol (Univ. of Minnesota)
Complex oxides exhibit a rich variety of interactions between their strongly correlated spin, charge, lattice, and orbital degrees of freedom. These interactions lead to competing ground states and intricate phase diagrams that host a vast range of functional properties including: ferroelectricity, pyroelectricity, electrocaloricity, magnetoelectricity, multiferroicity, metal-insulator transitions and defect- related properties. It is these functional properties and their application to up-and-coming technologies that are the principal topics of interest for this symposium. In particular, this focus topic welcomes contributions on fundamental aspects of structure, ordering, and functionality in complex oxides as well as emerging avenues to controlling polarization, magnetism, and electronic properties via strain, composition, defects, and broken symmetry. Breakthroughs and progress in the theory, synthesis, characterization, and device implementations in these and other related topics are highly encouraged.
08.01.04 Organometal halide perovskites: photovoltaics and beyond
Organizers: Brent Melot (University of Southern California); Jamie Neilson (Colorado State Univ); David Scanlon (University College London)
Organometallic halide perovskites have recently caused a surge of interest in their optoelectronic properties and applications due to their remarkable performance as semiconductor light absorbers in solar cells. As a new class of semiconductors, these materials are interesting not only because of the hybrid organic-inorganic structure, but also for their superior properties such as high defect tolerance, strong optical absorption, low recombination rate, ambipolar charge transport, and tunable physical properties. Rapid progress has been made in the demonstration of photoelectronic perovskite devices for photovoltaics, light emission, lasing and photodetection. Possible structural asymmetry, due to lattice distortion by organic cations, gives rise to ferroelectricity and large Rashba spin-orbit coupling in the hybrid perovskites, which provides more functionality to devices with electric field control and/or utilization of spin. However, the underlying physics of many unusual properties remains elusive, such as the hysteretic current-voltage relationships, low recombination rate, long spin lifetime and ferroelectric behavior. The practical use of these hybrid perovskite calls for more in-depth understanding of their fundamental properties and versatile strategies to tune and optimize the materials properties. In this Focus Topic we expect contributions on broadly-defined experimental and modeling studies of the optical, electronic, structural and defect properties of the organometallic halide perovskites. Advancements in materials engineering and the development of practical applications are also encouraged.
09.01.01 Fe-based Superconductors (DMP, DCOMP) [same as 16.01.29]
Organizers: Leonardo Civale (Los Alamos National Lab); Ulrich Welp (Argonne National Lab)
Fe-based superconductors (FeSCs) continue to fascinate the materials and condensed matter physics communities as we move into a new decade of their study. While the field started from the iron pnictides, new efforts have increasingly been directed towards the iron chalcogenides. Recent advances in the synthesis and control of the FeSCs are giving us renewed hope for even higher superconducting transition temperatures. Considerable progress is being made in the understanding of these materials, including the bad-metal normal state and the degree of electron-electron correlations, the order and excitations of the various electronic degrees of freedom (spin, orbital, charge and nematic), the role of quantum criticality in the phase diagram, and the amplitude and structure of the multi-orbital superconducting pairing. At the same time, there is progress in understanding the unifying principles that may optimize superconductivity of the FeSCs and connect them with other unconventional superconductors such as the cuprates, heavy fermions and organic charge-transfer salts. Finally, the FeSCs may connect to broader issues on superconductivity, such as BCS-BEC crossover and topological superconductivity. In addition to advancing our fundamental understanding of superconductivity, the unique materials parameters of FeSCs (relatively high Tc, low anisotropy, high critical fields) offer new approaches to the design of superconducting wires, magnets and thin-film devices. This focus topic will cover the pertinent recent developments in the materials growth, experimental measurements and theoretical understandings and survey the potential for discovering new superconducting systems with still higher transition temperatures, and new applications.
11.01.05: 5d/4d transition metal systems
Organizers: Filip Ronning (Los Alamos National Lab); Hae-Young Kee (U. Toronto); David Mandrus (University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Transition metal materials have provided a playground to test exotic phenomena originated from strong electron-electron interactions and topology. Examples include high temperatures superconductors, metal-insulator transitions, spin-charge separations, and frustrated magnetic systems, which have been mainly based on materials with 3d orbitals. Recently, heavy transition metal materials with 4d and 5d orbitals have attracted great attention, due to their unique competition of relevant energy scales – spin-orbit coupling, exchange interactions, and crystal-field energy. As a consequence of the intricate interplay between these interactions, 5d and 4d materials exhibit intriguing properties that have been observed by various experimental techniques and theoretical methods. Few examples include unexpected insulating behavior, possible topological spin liquids with anyons, and unconventional superconductivity.
This focus topic covers experimental and theoretical work on compounds containing 5d and 4d elements, e.g. iridium, osmium, rhodium, ruthenium (including, but not limited to, oxides, halides, sulfides, etc). These materials can be found for a variety of two- and three-dimensional lattices with varying degree of frustration, electronic correlations, and effective spin-orbit coupling. Emergent phases include magnetism, topological behavior, spin liquids, superconductivity and metal-to-insulator transitions.
12.01.01: 2D Materials: Synthesis, Defects, Structure and Properties (DMP)
Organizers: Robert Hovden (U. Michigan); Liuyan Zhao (U. Michigan)
The interest in two dimensional (2D) materials is rapidly spreading across all scientific and engineering disciplines due to their exceptional chemical, mechanical, magnetic, optical and electrical properties, which provide not only a platform to investigate fundamental physical phenomena but also promise solutions to the most relevant technological challenges. 2D materials find their immediate applications in field effect transistors, gas sensors, bio-detectors, mechanical resonators, optical modulators and energy harvesting devices with superior performances that have already been demonstrated in prototype devices. Furthermore, recent progress has also shown that heterostructuring, doping, intercalation and phase engineering in these 2D materials will enable unprecedented structures and functionalities with new opportunities and great potentials. However, the true impact will only be made if the initial breakthroughs are transformed into commercial technologies. A major challenge towards the commercialization of 2D materials is the scalable and controllable production of high- quality layers in a cost-effective way. So far, the best quality samples of 2D materials have been obtained through micromechanical exfoliation of naturally occurring single crystals. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the most widely used bottom-up technique to grow large area 2D-materials. Several top-down approaches have also been adopted based on bulk liquid phase chemical and electrochemical exfoliation. Each type of method possesses its unique strength to enable materials for specific research or application needs, whereas on the other hand has its own challenge to be addressed.
This focus topic will cover:
- Experimental, theoretical, and computational studies illuminating various aspects of the CVD growth process including, e. g., layer number and stacking geometry control, the formation of topological and structural defects, grain size and grain boundary control, and the effect of substrate chemistry, crystallography and strain mMethods of doping, epitaxy, intercalation or phase engineering
- Templated or bottom-up growth or top-down synthesis of nanostructures and integration with other materials
- Characterization and modeling of the structural, mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of the synthesized 2D materials
- Design and discovery of van der Waals magnets toward room temperature devices.
12.01.02: 2D Materials: Semiconductors (DMP, DCOMP) [same as 16.01.30]
Organizers: Jeff Guest (Argonne National Lab); Huamin Li (University at Buffalo); Jun Zhu (Penn State University)
Research exploring 2D semiconductors is rapidly expanding to include a wide variety of layered materials and their heterostructures with diverse properties such as strong many-body interactions, strong spin-orbit coupling effects, spin- and valley-dependent physics, and topological physics. This Focus Topic will cover experimental and theoretical/computational work related to 2D semiconductors and their heterostructures, including large bandgap materials such as the chalcogenides (e.g. MoS2, WSe2, GaSe and ReSe), phosphorene and h-BN, small bandgap materials with possible topological properties (such as silicene, germanene, stanine, Bi2Se3 and WTe2), magnetic semiconductors (e.g. CrGeTe3, CrI3, Mn:MoS2), and emerging new semiconductors. We encourage abstracts discussing results on monolayers, few-layers, heterostructures including twisted bilayers and their nanostructures. Topics of interest include quantum transport, mobility engineering, the understanding and engineering of the dielectric environment and defects on optical, electronic and many-body phenomena, piezoelectric and ferroelectric effects, spin- and valley-dependent phenomena, exciton physics including Moire excitons, properties of domain walls, as well as magnetic, multiferroic, thermal and mechanical properties of 2D semiconductors. Processing and measurement techniques developed to probe van der Waals semiconductors are also welcome.
12.01.03: Devices from 2D Materials: Function, Fabrication and Characterization (DMP)
Organizers: Deji Akinwande (UT Austin); Henri Happy (University of Lille); Mario Lanza (Suzhou University)
With the rapid progress in the research on 2D materials, including graphene and other layered material systems, a wide variety of properties and functionalities have emerged that have broad scientific and technological significance. The rational design of devices consisting of 2D materials calls for improved understanding of their intrinsic and extrinsic properties that are critical to the device functionality, as well as their integration with other device components. The development of these 2D materials based devices also requires solutions to problems associated with material functionalization, structural fabrication, and device characterization. This Focus Topic will cover experimental and theoretical/computational work related to devices based on the growing array of 2D materials that exhibit a wide variety of behaviors – such as metallic, semiconducting, insulating, magnetic, ferroelectric, superconducting, and various strongly correlated electronic phenomena. These 2D materials include (but are not limited to) graphene, transition-metal chalcogenides (e.g., MoS2, WSe2, NbSe2, TaS2, FeSe etc.), silicene, germanane, stanene, phosphorene, magnets (e.g. CrI3, Fe3GeTe2, Cr2Ge2Te6, etc.), ferroelectrics (e.g. SnTe, In2Se3, etc.), topological insulators (e.g., Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, etc.), layered oxides (e.g., BSCCO), and large band gap materials such as h-BN.
We invite contributions on topics including: (i) the functionalization, fabrication, measurements, and modeling of devices based on the unique properties of 2D materials in the single- or multi-layered forms as well as their heterostructures; (ii) proof-of-principle studies focusing on the electronic, magnetic, dielectric, optical, mechanical, thermal, and chemical behaviors of 2D materials relevant for device applications; and (iii) interfacial, environmental, and system-based properties and behaviors inherent to the application of 2D materials in future devices.
12.01.04: 2D Materials: Metals, Superconductors, and Correlated Materials (DMP)
Organizers: David Cobden (U. of Washington); Peide Yu (Purdue); Jairo Velasco (UC Santa Cruz) jvelasc5@ucsc.edu
In the last few years, there has been an explosion of activities in the field of two-dimensional materials beyond graphene. Much of the effort focused on the rich optoelectronic properties of semiconducting compounds like the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) or black phosphorus. Some of the TMDs display an insulating to metal transition upon gating which seems to be driven by electronic correlations. Others are metallic (or semi-metallic) over the entire temperature range while presenting gapped electronic ground states, such as superconductivity or charge-density waves. Semi-metallic WTe2 and orthorhombic MoTe2 (or ZrTe5) are claimed to possess unique topological features in their electronic band structures apparently leading to anomalous transport properties and perhaps also to an unconventional superconducting state. For monolayer NbSe2 superconductivity was shown to survive the application of extremely high magnetic fields when applied along its planar direction, while electronic correlations are likely to be important for the high superconducting transition temperature observed in monolayer FeSe. Surprisingly, the suppression of inter-planar coupling was claimed to enhance the charge-density wave transition in monolayers of TMDs. But with the exception of bilayer graphene, and probably also the quantum Hall-effect seen in transition metal dichalcogenides, InSe or black-phosphorus, to date there are relatively few examples of mono- or few-layered compounds, for which correlations seem to play a fundamental role.
This focus topic will concentrate on two-dimensional materials displaying gate induced phase-transitions or ground states with either non-trivial topologies or broken-symmetries for which new and relevant physical phenomena is likely to emerge.
13.01.01: Nanostructures and Metamaterials (DMP)
Organizers: Houtong Chen (Los Alamos National Lab); Amit Agrawal (NIST); Wenshan Cai (Georgia Tech)
Recent experimental, theoretical and computational advances have enabled the design and realization of micro-/nano-structured materials with novel, complex and often unusual electromagnetic properties unattainable from natural materials. Such nanostructures and metamaterials provide unique opportunities to manipulate electromagnetic radiation over a broad range of frequencies, from ultraviolet and visible to terahertz and microwave. These concepts have also been extended to enable acoustic/mechanical metamaterials and metasurfaces. The transition from three-dimensional nanostructures and metamaterials to planar two-dimensional metasurfaces further facilitates structure fabrication, material integration, novel functionality, and system miniaturization, thereby finding a wide range of potential applications. This focus topic will highlight recent progress in the physical understanding, design, fabrication, and applications of these artificial materials. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: nanophotonics, plasmonics, near-field and quantum optics, optofluidics, energy harvesting, and the emerging interface of condensed matter and materials physics with biological, chemical and neural sciences.
13.01.02: Electron, Exciton, and Phonon Transport in Nanostructures (DMP)
Organizers: Tom Harris (Sandia National Lab), Xuan Gao (Case Western); Tzu-Ming Lu (Sandia National Labs)
Understanding and controlling how heat, charge, and energy flow at the nanoscale is critical for realizing the potential of nanomaterials in next generation device technologies. Of particular challenge, and opportunity, is understanding how elementary excitations such as phonons, electrons, holes, excitons, and plasmons interact with each other and are influenced by interfaces, confinement, and quantum effects in nanostructures. This is particularly true for heterogeneous nanoscale materials and interfaces with varying degrees of electronic and phononic couplings, and distinct thermal and electrical impedances. Structural components used in hybrid nanostructures can be made of semiconductors, metals, molecules, liquids, etc.
Contributions are solicited in areas that reflect recent advances in experimental measurement, theory, and modeling of transport mechanisms in nanoscale materials and interfaces. Specific topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Electron-phonon coupling and heat generation by hot charge carriers
- Dynamics of energy and charge flow in nanostructured hybrid materials
- Ultrafast dynamics of charge carriers, excitons, and phonons in nanostructures and across nanoscale interfaces
- Charge, heat, and exciton transport through metal-semiconductor interfaces, inorganic-organic interfaces, and molecular junctions
- Correlating nanoscale interface structure & chemistry with charge, heat, and exciton transport
- Non-equilibrium heat transport and phonon-bottlenecks effects
- Influence of dimensionality, nanostructuring, and surface states on charge, heat, and exciton transport
- Energy transfer in hybrid nanomaterials including dots, wires, plates, polymers, etc
- Excitonic nanomaterials with light-harvesting and lighting properties utilizing both solid-state and molecular components
- Plasmonic nano- and meta-structures for light harvesting and concentration
- Near-field heat transfer and energy conversion in nanogaps and nanodevices
- Hybrid structures with interacting exciton and plasmon resonances
- Hybrid nanomaterials for photo-catalytic applications utilizing excitons and plasmons
13.01.03: Complex Oxide Interfaces and Heterostructures (DMP)
Organizers: Bharat Jalan, (U. Minnesota); Divine Kumah (NC State); Alex Georgescu (Flatiron Institute)
When complex oxides are prepared as thin films and heterostructures, they exhibit additional properties that cannot be realized in the constituent materials alone. These novel properties arise as a result of interfacial charge transfer, exchange coupling, orbital reconstructions, proximity effects, dimensionality as well as the mechanical and electric boundary conditions. Emergent electronic and magnetic states at oxide interfaces raise exciting prospects for new fundamental physics and technological applications. This Focus Topic is dedicated to progress in the fabrication, methodologies, and knowledge in the field of complex oxide thin films, heterostructures, superlattices, and nanostructures. Synthesis, characterization, theory, and novel device physics are emphasized. Specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to, growth of oxide thin films and heterostructures (with special emphasis on new materials/interfaces), control of properties (magnetic, electronic, ordering, ionic conduction, phase transitions, interfacial superconductivity, multiferroicity, magnetotransport, spin-orbit coupling), and developments in theoretical prediction and materials-by-design approaches. Advances in techniques to probe and image electronic, structural and magnetic states at heterostructure interfaces are also emphasized. Note that overlap exists with other DMP and GMAG focus sessions. As a rule of thumb, if complex oxides and their heterostructures are at the core of the investigation, then the talk is appropriate for this focus topic.
13.01.04: Materials for Quantum Information Science (DMP)
Organizers: Jinkyoung Yoo (Los Alamos National Lab); Xuedan Ma (Argonne National Lab); Richard Henning (U. Florida)
Technologies for processing of information are at a cross-road. Until now, advances in information processing have been mainly achieved by miniaturization and integration, such as scaling down transistor-based semiconductor technologies and heterogeneous integration in an architecture, the traditional methodology is rapidly approaching its physical limits. A new class of information processing that explores possibilities beyond classical computing architectures is now underway with particular emphasis on quantum phenomena that complement existing computing architectures. Quantum information processing, revolutionizing ways of generation, transmission, and computation of information, must be physically implemented by appropriate materials. To that end, new materials and physical properties are needed along with close collaborations among physicists, materials scientists, and electrical engineers. This Focus Topic intersects the materials discovery, devices physics, and nanoscale structure communities for quantum information processing (QIP) within the common theme of understanding the underlying physical interactions in materials for quantum information processing. Given the exploratory nature of this field, contributions are solicited broadly among the following topics:
- Superconducting materials and devices
- Trapped ion systems
- Solid-state artificial atoms (quantum dots, quantum wells)
- Solid-state quantum defects (point-defects in wide-gap semiconductors, rare-earth ions)
- 2D materials and defects in 2D materials
- Topological materials
- Hybrid quantum systems
- Magnetic systems including molecular magnets and molecular spin qubits
- Optical quantum computing devices
- Biological, polymer, or inorganic materials for QIP
- First principles theory/simulations of QIP materials.
Other ideas that may be exploratory and less well defined at this time are also encouraged; however, suitable talks for this focus topic should focus on the (quantum) materials and physics germane to QIP.
14.01.01: Surface, Interface, and Thin Film Science of Organic Molecular Solids (DMP)
Organizers: Emily Bittle (NIST); Daniel Dougherty (NC State Univ)
Organic molecular solids are a challenging materials class since numerous “weak” interactions, all of comparable strength, control structures and functional properties. The promise of high-performance optoelectronics, designer sensors, electrode work function control, and bioelectronic devices make the payoff for addressing this challenge high. In these applications surfaces and interface are decisive in their impact on carrier injection and transport, and on structure and morphology control. This Focus Topic will convene to discuss new experimental and theoretical/computational results aimed at the both basic and applied physics underpinning surfaces, interfaces, and thin films of organic solids. Research of interest includes the structure, properties, charge dynamics, and applications of organic adsorbates, monolayer assemblies, thin films, crystals, and nanostructures.