Feb 13 2008
The Springer journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (ABC) has chosen the Austrian chemist Thomas Lummerstorfer (31) as the recipient of its Best Paper Award 2007. Lummerstorfer’s paper “Monolayers at solid-solid interfaces probed with infrared spectroscopy” discusses an infrared technique which is expected to gain substantial importance in various fields of nanoscience. The winning paper will receive special prominence on an ABC cover. The Award is accompanied by EUR 1,000, sponsored by Springer.
Lummerstorfer’s paper is a review of his work establishing a new sandwich-like optical configuration for the measurement of infrared spectra of thin films and solid-solid interfaces. The study represents the first experimental demonstration of an enhancement effect that was theoretically predicted several decades ago but could never be verified experimentally. This configuration allows not only the measurements of monolayer infrared spectra on a wide range of metal and nonmetal substrates with greatly improved sensitivity, but also allows reactions and processes taking place at the interface between two solid materials to be monitored spectroscopically.
The infrared technique he outlined is expected to be used in numerous fields of nanoscience and for routine surface infrared measurements. Thomas Lummerstorfer received his PhD from the Vienna University of Technology in 2005. He now works in research and development at Semperit GmbH in Austria.
Kiyokatsu Jinno, Editor of ABC said, "Dr. Lummerstorfer’s work indicates that infrared spectroscopy can be a powerful tool to investigate novel insights into the chemistry and structure of monolayers confined and compressed between two solid surfaces. His outstanding paper meets ABC’s high standards for excellent research publications."
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry is an international journal dealing with all aspects of analytical and bioanalytical sciences. The journal covers all fields of pure and applied analytical chemistry and bioanalysis, including topics at their interfaces with life and health sciences, engineering and materials sciences, environmental science, earth sciences and others. The Best Paper Award was created to encourage exceptional, young scientists in establishing their research careers. This Award is presented annually to a scientist up to 40 years of age who is the lead author of a paper published in ABC during the calendar year.
Springer is the second-largest publisher of journals in the science, technology, and medicine (STM) sector and the largest publisher of STM books. Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media, one of the world’s leading suppliers of scientific and specialist literature. The group publishes over 1,700 journals and more than 5,500 new books a year, as well as the largest STM eBook Collection worldwide. Springer has operations in over 20 countries in Europe, the USA, and Asia, and some 5,000 employees.
The article is freely available online on SpringerLink at http://www.springerlink.com/content/?k=10.1007%2fs00216-006-1010-4 or can be requested as a pdf.