The John A. Thornton Memorial Award and Lecture aims to recognize outstanding research or technological innovation in the areas of interest to AVS, with emphasis on the fields of thin films, plasma processing, and related topics. The nominee shall have made a pioneering contribution to the science or technology of thin films, plasma processing, or related fields that advances the state of knowledge or the art to a significant and well-recognized extent. Guiding examples are found in the work of John Thornton: his contributions to the theory and practice of magnetron sputtering, his inspired determination of the zone model...