1.0         Instrumentation

1.1     New optical components, e.g., rotating achromatic compensators, improved modulators, high brightness sources
1.2     More powerful optical configurations, e.g., Mueller matrix ellipsometry
1.3     Polarimeters for ellipsometry + reflectometry
1.4     Wider or unique spectral ranges in step scan and multichannel modes including infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry
1.5     Novel imaging and mapping capabilities and high spatial resolution, e.g., NSOM techniques
1.6     Higher speed or spatial scanning for real time applications
1.7     Calibration and error prevention
1.8     Instrumentation evaluation and standards


2.0         Data analysis and modeling

2.1     Error detection, error analysis, precision, and accuracy issues, modeling
2.2     Dielectric function parameterizations
2.3     Complex surfaces:  surface roughness, scattering, and depolarization
2.4     Complex materials and thin films: nano-porous materials, composites, effective medium theories, non-uniformity, depolarization
2.5     Complex materials and thin films: patterned materials in microelectronics
2.6     Anisotropic materials and thin films
2.7     Beyond psi, delta: including full MME, reflectance, transmittance
2.8     Standardization and reference materials


3.0         Complementary techniques and correlations

3.1     Other optical techniques:  RDS (or RAS), second harmonic generation, photoreflectance, Brillouin and Raman scattering
3.2     SE and surface probe microscopy: AFM, STM, profilometry
3.3     SE and electron microscopy: XTEM, SEM
3.4     SE and chemical identification and profiling: AES, SIMS
3.5     SE and quartz crystal microbalance: QCM
3.6     Issues in metrology


4.0         Physics and chemistry

4.1     Optical properties of solids and liquids
4.2     Infrared active chemical bonding
4.3     Surface and interface optical phenomena
4.4      Plasmons at interfaces and in nanostructured materials
4.5     Nanostructures, photonic crystals, and metamaterials
4.6     Phase transitions, glass transitions, switching phenomena
4.7     Surface and bulk reactions
4.8     Solid-liquid interfaces


5.0         Materials Science: process-property relations in ex situ SE

5.1     Semiconductors
5.2     Metals and alloys
5.3     Dielectrics and ceramics: low- and high-k materials
5.4     Carbon materials
5.5     Transparent conductors
5.6     Ferroelectrics, ferromagnetics, and multiferroics
5.7     Superconductors
5.8     Polymers
5.9     Organics
5.10           Biomaterials
5.11           Nanoparticles and hybrid composite materials


6.0         Materials science: real time SE

6.1     Crystal growth: MBE, VPE
6.2     Thin film growth: ALD
6.3     Thin film growth: PVD
6.4     Thin film growth: CVD
6.5     Surface modification: adsorption, desorption, grafting, and oxidation
6.6     Electrodeposition, etching, polishing
6.7     Annealing, crystallization, switching, and post-processing of materials


7.0         Applications

7.1     Microelectronics, displays, sensors, and detectors
7.2     Optical coatings, multilayers
7.3     Energy applications: photovoltaics, batteries, capacitors
7.4     Electrochemistry: corrosion
7.5     Hard coatings
7.6     Biological, biomedical, and medical applications
7.7     Real time monitoring and control of industrial processes