Concepts, instruments, and model systems that enabled the rapid evolution of surface science

Over the past forty years, surface science has evolved to become both an atomic scale and a molecular scale science. Gerhard Ertl’s group has made major contributions in the field of molecular scale surface science, focusing on vacuum studies of adsorption chemistry on single crystal surfaces. In this review, we outline three important aspects which have led to recent advances in surface chemistry: the development of new concepts, in situ instruments for molecular scale surface studies at buried interfaces (solid–gas and solid–liquid), and new model nanoparticle surface systems, in addition to single crystals. Combined molecular beam surface scattering and low energy electron diffraction (LEED)- surface structure studies on metal single crystal surfaces revealed concepts, including adsorbate-induced surface restructuring and the unique activity of defects, atomic steps, and kinks on metal surfaces. We have combined high pressure catalytic reaction studies with ultra high vacuum (UHV) surface characterization techniques using a UHV chamber equipped with a high pressure reaction cell. New instruments, such as high pressure sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) which permit molecular-level surface studies have been developed. Tools that access broad ranges of pressures can be used for both the in situ characterization of solid–gas and solid–liquid buried interfaces and the study of catalytic reaction intermediates. The model systems for the study of molecular surface chemistry have evolved from single crystals to nanoparticles in the 1–10 nm size range, which are currently the preferred media in catalytic reaction studies.