From 19-22 May 2019, International conference on Pacific Rim Laser Damage & Thin Film Physics and Applications (SPIE-PLD/TFPA 2019), co-hosted by the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE), Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), Chinese Physical Society (CPS) and Shanghai Physical Society (SPS), was held in Qingdao, China.

SPIE-PLD/TFPA 2019 featureed two topic meetings. The 8th Pacific Rim Laser Damage: Optical Materials for High Power Lasers Symposium was co-chaired by Prof. SHAO Jianda from SIOM, Prof. Takahisa Jitsuno from Osaka University and Prof. Wolfgang Rudolph from University of New Mexico. The 10th International Conference on Thin Film Physics and Applications was co-chaired by Prof. CHU Junhao, academician from Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. SHAO Jianda.

Overall, 100 oral papers and 94 poster papers were accepted for presentations. They were contributed by scientists, engineers and researchers of 14 countries, including USA, France, UK, Germany, Australia, Russia, Korea, Japan, Turkey, Romania, Lithuania, Italy, Singapore and China. There were 11 main sessions covering high power laser damage, UV through IR, high laser damage resistant coatings, laser ablation and laser machining, characterization techniques and measurement protocols, nonlinear laser crystals, laser ceramics, optical glasses and fibers, physics of thin films, thin film materials, technology of thin films, applications of thin films.

On behalf of the program committee, Prof. SHAO Jianda gave welcoming remarks, the history and the overview of the conference. Following this were the plenary talks by Prof. Luke Emmert from University of New Mexico, Prof. Marco Jupé from Laser Zentrum Hannover, CAS academician GU Min from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Prof. Sam Zhang from Southwest University and Prof. Andrea C. Ferrari from University of Cambridge. 41 other well-known experts were invited to report on relevant topics, demonstrating their latest research progresses.

On the evening of May 20th, the International Program Committee Members and SPIE representatives were invited to attend the round-table discussion for a better organization of the future events.

This serial conference has provided an excellent opportunity for world-wide researchers, especially in Pacific Rim, to communicate efficiently, exchange information and establish closer collaborations on new problems, solutions, and technologies in the field of laser damage as well as thin films.