This special issue of Integrated Ferroelectrics is dedicated to the proceedings of the international conference on Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies 2015 (FM&NT-2015). The conference aims to cover the current trends in materials science and solid state physics as well as sharing knowledge between chemists, physicists and engineers.
The international conference on Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies (FM&NT-2015) was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, for the first time. The conference took place in the central headquarters of Vilnius University which is the oldest university established in the Eastern Europe in 1579.
The conference series entitled Functional Materials and Nanotechnologies started in 2006 and was initiated by the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia. This annual conference was particularly held in Riga in the Institute of Solid State Physics. Throughout the years it grew significantly and nowadays attracts many experts and professionals of solid state physics, nanotechnologies from all around the world. In 2012 it was a joint decision of international advisory board to expand the geography of the conference. It was decided to organize FM&NT conference through all Baltic States. The Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Estonia was the first to organize the FM&NT outside Latvia.
Finally, in 2015 the conference arrived in Lithuania. It had 178 attendees from 21 countries. 22 invited and 67 oral presentations were given by the leading experts in the field of nanotechnologies and functional materials. In addition to outstanding oral presentations, there were 123 posters presented.
We want to express sincere gratitude to the Taylor & Francis group, Dr George W. Taylor and Dr Deborah J. Taylor who gave us the opportunity to publish the proceedings and prepared this excellent special issue and also the sponsors who contributed significantly with their financial support and fascinating exhibitions.
Last but not the least, the organizing committee would like to acknowledge all the participants who contributed with their excellent scientific reports.
Jūras Banys
Šarūnas Bagdzevičius
Vilnius University
Vilnius, Lithuania
February 2016