Conference Overview
Plenary Session
Eight plenary talks will be adressing latest advancements in different research fields.
- Christof Fattinger, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel: Molecular holograms for label-free biomolecular interaction analysis
- Rachel Grange, ETH Zürich: Beyond metals and semiconductors: nano-oxides for integrated photonic devices
- Louise Harra, PMOD/WRC & ETH Zürich: Solar Orbiter: getting close to the Sun
- Lavinia Heisenberg, ETH Zürich: Gravitational Toolkit
- David E. Kaplan, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore: A Global View on Particle Physics (tbc)
- Daniela Rupp,ETH Zürich: Imaging ultrafast dynamics in clusters with intense X-ray pulses
- Christian Wüthrich, Université de Genève: Was there a time before time?
- Hugo Zbinden, Université de Genève: Quantum Cryptography
Furthermore a public lecture is scheduled in the evening of Tuesday 30 June:
- Kevin Heng, Universität Bern: Exoplanets and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Topical Sessions
The following parallel sessions will be scheduled:
- Applied Physics and Plasma Physics
- Atomic Physics and Quantum Photonics
- Biophysics, Medical Physics and Soft Matter
- Condensed Matter Physics (KOND)
- History and Philosophy of Physics
- Magnetism and Spintronics at the Nanoscale
- Nuclear, Particle- & Astrophysics (TASK) *
- Quantum Beam Science: biophysics, materials physics and fundamental physics with neutrons, muons, electrons and X-rays **
- Start-ups: From great physics to innovative products
* in collaboration with CHIPP, ** organized in collaboration with the Swiss Society for Neutron Science (SGN)
Dependent on the number and contents of the contributed papers, each topical session will be split into special thematic sub-sessions.
Poster Session
The poster session will start on 1 July evening with an apéro and will continue on 2 July with a lunch buffet. It is expected that all posters are presented on both session days.
The three most outstanding posters will be awarded with a "Best poster prize". Additionally to the above requirement, at least the first author of the poster must be personally present at the conference in order to be eligible for the selection. The awards will be given in a small ceremony on 3 July.
The maximum poster size is A0 (portrait).
Award Ceremony
As every year outstanding scientific works will be honoured with the SPS awards, in the respective fields of General Physics (sponsored by ABB Research Center), Condensed Matter Physics (sponsored by IBM Zürich Research Laboratory), Applied Physics (sponsored by Oerlikon Surface Solutions), Metrology (sponsored by METAS) and in Computational Physics (sponsored by COMSOL). Each award is granted with CHF 5000.-.
CHIPP and the Swiss Society for Neutron Science will also award their respective winners.
The award ceremony will be held on 1 July at 10:50h.
General Assembly
The general assembly is scheduled for 30 June. The agenda will be published in the SPG Mitteilungen No. 61. We encourage all members to actively participate and contact the committee if special points of interest should be discussed at the assembly.
Industrial Exhibition
An exhibition with scientific devices, equipment, software and literature will be organized in parallel to the sessions. An invitation letter has been mailed to interested companies. If your company would like to join the exhibition, but did not receive the letter by the mid-February, please contact the SPS Secretariat.
Conference Dinner
A conference dinner is scheduled for the evening of 2 July in the "NH Hotel". You can select the dinner during the normal registration procedure. The price is CHF 80.- (incl. apéro, 3-course meal, drinks).
Important: Since we have to plan ahead with the restaurant, it is not possible to register for the dinner on site.
The dinner fee must be paid and transferred on our account at latest by 20 June in order to guarantee your meal. We will keep only a small fraction of the unpaid dinner places, which will be assigned to persons paying cash upon arrival on a first come - first serve base.
Unfortunately we are forced to take this measure because of experiences made in previous years where too many unpaid last-minute cancellations occurred for which we still were indebted to the restaurant. We hope for your understanding.
Additional information for selected sessions
Theoretical Physics
Theoretical contributions are highly encouraged and will be included as last year, directly in a corresponding topical session. This way, the sessions will profit from a broad range of experimental, phenomenological, and theoretical advancements that are relevant in the specific topical field and thus can engage in broader and deeper discussions.
Please submit your abstract to the session which best matches your topic. You can optionally mark your contribution as "theoretical" in the submission interface.
Contact: Philippe Jetzer
Condensed Matter (KOND)
The condensed matter program welcomes contributions from all topics within Condensed Matter Physics, including magnetism, superconductivity, semiconductors and more. For abstracts in the field of nanomagnetism and spintronics, please submit your abstract to the session below.
Contact: Henrik M. Rønnow, Laura J. Heyderman
Magnetism and Spintronics at the Nanoscale
With this focus session we would like to highlight recent advances in the fabrication, measurement and control of novel functionalities in spintronic and nanomagnetic systems. We aim to bring together experimentalists and theoreticians from Switzerland, Austria, and the neighbouring countries exploring magnetic properties in thin films, interfaces, and nanostructures. Alberto Morpurgo (University of Geneva - Magnetic 2D materials), Cynthia Piamonteze (PSI - Magnetism in strongly correlated systems) and Olivier Boulle (Spintec/CEA, Grenoble, France - Spintronics) will give invited presentations at this session.
Contact: Ales Hrabec, Zhaochu Luo , Laura J. Heyderman
Quantum Beam Science: biophysics, materials physics and fundamental physics with neutrons, muons, electrons and X-rays
The Swiss Neutron Science Society, the PSI division for photon science and the Lausanne Center for Ultrafast Science invite abstracts from the growing user-base of neutron, synchrotron, free electron laser and ultrafast electron facilities to share their research. Abstract submissions are welcome from all topics where neutron, muon, X-ray or electron experiments have contributed. Contributions do not have to be centered on the technique and we specifically encourage contributions where quantum beam experiments were one among several techniques involved.
Contact: Neutrons & muons: link henrik.ronnow@epfl.ch>Henrik M. Rønnow, X-rays:Thorsten Schmitt, Electrons:Ivan Madan
Start-ups: From great physics to innovative products
Has anyone ever approached you during your Master’s or PhD thesis and asked if they “could also have one of those XYZ” that you have built? (“XYZ” = quantum sensor, laser, control electronics, you name it). Then you should definitely think about taking your work to the next level. In this year's session of the “Physics in Industry” section we will be looking with several invited speakers at what is needed to recognize and mature great ideas in a physics and engineering context and bring them to market. If you are in a physics-related start-up and have an exciting story to tell, please submit your abstract before the submission deadline.
Contact: Andreas Fuhrer, Thilo Stöferle
Special Focus: A Global View on Particle Physics
The European Particle Physics Strategy Update 2020 shall draw the next big vision and set priorities on how CERN shall evolve in the decades to come after the Large Hadron Collider program running out by the end of the next decade. A report by the European Strategy Group (ESG) will become publicly available in May 2020, which will not go unnoticed by press and public.
The aim of this event is to give a broad overview on particle physics most important questions and to highlight the process of the work done by the ESG. Over the last two years, the whole particle physics community was consulted by the ESG and to which CHIPP contributed a coherent Swiss view. The options brought forward include large-scale linear and circular lepton and hadron colliders, all with their complementary potentials, reaches, timelines and cost. These are complemented with a rich non-collider based experimental program, and include technology R&D and theoretical studies. A global perspective taking into account experimental existing and pledged facilities in Asia, the United States and elsewhere is needed to derive a strategy that will be supported and that can be realised.