The idea of creating a permanent international organisation to promote and disseminate information and education in vacuum science and technology was conceived during the First International Congress on Vacuum Technology, held in Namur (Belgium) in 1958. Immediately after the Congress, the International Organisation for Vacuum Science and Technology (IOVST) was constituted which became in 1962 the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique and Applications (IUVSTA).
The objectives of the Union are to develop and promote vacuum science and techniques and their applications in all countries. The activities are not restricted to vacuum only, but include all disciplines which may use vacuum as a tool.
The history of the Union and of its members are described in two series of documents:
IUVSTA History
The documents below provide a short history of the activities of IUVSTA from its inception up to present. It is anticipated that further short volumes will document each subsequent Triennium in due course.
- History of AVS and IUVSTA, 1984
- Union for Vacuum Science, 1988
- History of IUVSTA, Second Edition, 1958-2001
- History Update of IUVSTA, for the Triennium 2001-2004
- Click here to view the IUVSTA Flipbook
History of Member Societies
Short Histories of the National Vacuum Societies within IUVSTA, containing brief (approximately 2-page) reports on the history of each of the 31 National Vacuum Societies which are currently members of IUVSTA and some archived reports of former member societies.