Book excerpt: This volume chronicles the proceedings of the Symposium on Particles on Surfaces: Detection, Adhesion and Removal held under the auspices of the Fine Particle Society in San Francisco, July 28-August 2, 1986. The study of particles on surfaces is extremely important in many areas of human endeavor (ranging from microelectronics to optics to biomedical). A complete catalog of modern precision and sophisticated technologies where particles on surfaces are of cardinal importance will be prohibitively long, but the following eclectic examples should underscore the concern about particles on a variety of surfaces. In the semiconductor world of shrinking dimensions, particles which, a few years ago, were cosmetically undesirable but functionally innocuous can potentially be killer defects now. As the device sizes get smaller, there will be more and more concern about smaller and smaller particles. In the information storage technology, the gap between the head and the disk is very narrow, and if a particle is trapped in the gap that can have very grave consequences. The implications of particulate contamination on sensitive optical surfaces is all too manifest. So the particulate contamination on surfaces is undesirable from functional, yield and reliability points of view. This symposium was organized with the following objectives in mind: to bring together active practitioners in this field; to provide a forum for discussion of the latest research and development activities in this area; to provide opportunity for cross-pollination of ideas; and to highlight topics which needed intensified effort.