Chemisorption, diffusion and reactions on surfaces by scanning tunnelling microscopy

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Abstract
We discuss several applications of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to studies of chemisorption and surface reactivity. These include: (i) adsorbate–adsorbate interactions and diffusion phenomena. We illustrate this with the example of S on Re(0001), where the hopping (diffusion) of S atoms across surface sites was viewed by use of STM. The observed atomic motion was found to be highly correlated, as in a lattice ‘liquid’; (ii) interaction between different co-adsorbed species, including S and CO, and benzene and CO, that display both repulsive and attractive interactions leading to the segregation or intermixing of the adsorbates; and (iii) adsorbate–substrate interactions that lead to various surface reconstructions, step restructuring and faceting. We give recent results showing CO and S inducing step restructuring and reconstruction of a Pt(111) crystal substrate. Finally, we illustrate the unique capability of STM of operating in virtually any environment by studying the structure of Pt(110) and Pt(111) surfaces in various gas environments (H2, O2, CO, propylene) and at pressures of up to 1.6 atm.

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