Abstract
Surface magic clusters (SMC) are clusters exhibiting enhanced stability at certain sizes on a particular surface. Through the formation of SMC, it is possible to grow an ensemble of nanostructures on a particular surface with extremely narrow size dispersion. Such monodispersed nanostructures are highly desirable for the realization of some emerging nanotechnology. This review summarizes the recent experimental observations and current theoretical understanding of SMC and discusses the possibility of exploiting the formation of such unusual clusters as a pathway to the growth of monodispersed nanostructures on surfaces.