Introduction to Surface Science, 5 cr

Core content

• Surface structure and Thermodynamics of surfaces: Ordered surface structures. Defects on surfaces. Relaxation. Reconstruction. Surface tension.
• Dynamics at surfaces: Potential energy hypersurface. Elementary surface processes. Adsorption. Sticking coefficient. Kinetics and dynamics of adsorption. Microscopic reversibility.
• Electronic properties of surfaces: Surface dipole. Work function. Helmholtz equation. Local work function.
• Surface compounds: Chemisorption bond and physisorption bond. Resonance states. Chemisorption on Jellium surface. Alkali-metal adsorption. The flexible surface model.
• Catalysis by surfaces: Ammonia synthesis. Structure sensitivity. Volcano curve.

Complementary knowledge

• Adsorbate-Induced restructuring. Notation of surface structures. Surface tension values of metals approximated by using the heat of sublimation.
• Structure sensitivity of adsorption. Activated adsorption. Precursor-state mediated adsorption.
  
  
• Friedel oscillations. Surface space charge at n-type semiconductor. Work function versus ionization potential. Metal-vacuum-metal tunneling junction. Debye length. Work function and Nanostructures.
  
  
• Structure sensitivity of bond breaking. Ostwald Ripening. Chemisorption bond of CO.
  
• Catalyst deactivation. Fe catalysts.

Specialist knowledge

• Growth modes on surfaces. Low energy electron diffraction.
• Molecular Beam Surface Scattering. Steering dynamics in adsorption.
• Gas sensors. Electronic structure of nanoclusters. PAX-method. Surface Stark-effect.
  
  
• Rich oxygen chemistry of ruthenium (0001).
• Compensation effect. Catalyst materials.