Workshop: An International Workshop on Strength and Plasticity at Nanometer and Sub-Micron Scales; Braunwald, Switzerland; September 4-7, 2007

国家科学基金会要求为一个为期三天的关于纳米和亚微米尺度对金属强度和塑性的影响的研讨会提供资金。研讨会将重点介绍随着样品尺寸和/或微结构尺度减少到亚微米甚至纳米尺度，塑性强度的急剧增加。这包括亚微米压缩样品、纳米尺度的块体样品和纳米尺度的多层薄膜复合材料的实验和计算研究。已报道的现象不能用晶体或应变梯度塑性理论来解释。因此，研讨会的一个目标是评估和批判性地评估这些观察结果以及理解它们的相应理论和计算方法。社会效益是国际性的，涉及材料/机械领域的初级和高级参与者，并延伸到纳米技术开发人员和用户。具体地说，这个研讨会提供了一个必要的论坛，以指导和推动国际研究界在传统会议不可能达到的范围内开展工作。申请的资金将使美国有4名高级研究人员和4名初级研究人员(在过去6年内获得博士学位)以及3至4名高能力研究生和/或代表性不足的个人参加。最多可容纳70人参加。结果将通过讲习班主持人提供的书面摘要、基于网络的演示文稿和(或)截取演示文稿幻灯片，以及研究生在其所在机构主持的讲习班讨论小组来传播。

NSF funding is requested for a three-day workshop on nanometer and sub-micrometer scale effects on strength and plasticity of metals. The workshop will highlight dramatic increases in plastic strength as sample size and/or microstructural scale decreases to sub-micron and even nanometer scales. This includes experimental and computational investigations of sub-micron compression samples, bulk samples with nanometer-scale grain size, and multilayer thin film composite materials with nanometer-scale phases. The reported phenomena are not explained by crystal or strain gradient plasticity theories. Thus, an objective of the workshop is to assess and critically evaluate these observations and the corresponding theories and computational approaches to understand them.The societal benefits are international in scope, involve both junior and senior participants in the materials/mechanics communities, and extend to nanotechnology developers and users. Specifically, this workshop provides a needed forum to guide and advance the international research community at a scope not possible in a traditional conference. The requested funding will enable US participation by 4 senior and 4 junior (Ph.D. received within the last 6 years) researchers of the highest caliber, plus 3 to 4 highly capable graduate students and/or under-represented individuals. Up to 70 participants will be accommodated. Results will be disseminated through written summaries provided by workshop moderators, web-based streaming of presentations and/or capture of presentation slides, and workshop discussion groups hosted by graduate students at their home institutions.