The 21st International Conference on Defects in Insulating Materials (ICDIM) was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from August 19 to 23. The event brought together researchers focused on the study of defects in insulators and non-metallic materials. The Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP UL) made a strong presence at the conference.
Dr. Anatoli Popov, a leading researcher from ISSP UL’s Laboratory of Kinetics in Self-Organizing Systems, served as both an invited speaker and an event organizer. He also contributed to the international school held during the conference.
Dr. Aleksandrs Platoņenko, another researcher from the same laboratory, was also invited to speak at ICDIM 2024. In his presentation, he shared findings from his PhD thesis titled “Point Defects Diffusion in α-Al2O3 and MgAl2O4: Ab Initio and Experimental Study,” along with the final results on defects in oxides.
Additionally, ISSP UL researchers Dr. Virgīnija Vītola from the Laboratory of Optical Materials and Dr. Vladimirs Pankratovs from the Laboratory of Spectroscopy were among the invited speakers. Dr. Vītola discussed her work on “Search for Defects in the Best Persistent Luminescent Material SrAl2O4:Eu,Dy,” while Dr. Pankratovs presented on “Radiation Damages and Luminescence Spectroscopy of Scintillator Single Crystals Irradiated by Swift Heavy Ions.”
The conference covered a wide range of topics related to both point and extended defects in bulk materials, thin films, and nanostructures. Presentations included fundamental research as well as technological applications. The ICDIM 2024 provided a valuable opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration among experts in the field. Throughout the conference, ISSP UL researchers engaged in discussions about potential collaborations and projects with colleagues from other countries.
ICDIM 2024 marks the 21st iteration of a series of conferences that began in 1956 in Argonne, USA, with the inaugural meeting titled "Color Centers in Alkali Halides." The ICDIM and EURODIM conferences alternate every four years, establishing themselves as key international forums for the science and technology of defect-related phenomena in insulators.
