This volume is devoted to the consideration of the use use of surface, thin film and interface characterization tools in support of silicon-based semiconductor processing. The approach taken is to consider each of the types of films used in silicon devices individually in its own chapter and to discuss typical problems seen throughout that films' history, including characterization tools which are most effectively used to clarifying and solving those problems.
I have great pleasure in presenting the Proceedings of the 10th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference held in Lisbon from 8 to 12 April 1991. These Proceedings contain all the scientific papers delivered at the Conference. The following is a short summary of the Conference activities. The Conference was opened by the Minister of Industry and Energy of Portugal, Eng. Luis Mira do Amaral. At the opening ceremony the Becquerel Prize, created by the Commission of the European Communities, was awarded to Professor Werner Bloss of the University of Stuttgart, and presented by Professor Philippe Bourdeau, Director at the Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development. The Becquerellecture delivered by Professor Bloss constituted the scientific opening to the conference. About 760 delegates from 53 countries presented around 350 contributions, 50 of them as plenary lectures; the contributions were selected among the many papers submitted, this time more strictly than ever before. Also a selected group of scientists were invited to deliver 15 review lectures, to provide an adequate context to the contributions to the Conference. A Symposium on Photovoltaics in Developing Countries, which was very well attended, took place as a parallel event. The Symposium provided an opportunity to hear not only experts of the industrialized countries, but also speakers from the countries where photovoltaics provides services of paramount value.
