Chemisorption: Island formation and adatom interactions

Abstract

In many applications of surface chemistry, the interactions of the adsorbed atoms with each other can be of considerable importance. For example, a reaction may occur between coadsorbed species interacting only along phase boundaries, with the rate limited because only a few atoms of species A are near those of B. Conversely, if the coadsorbed species existed as a single phase, one might expect a much greater reaction rate. Also, from a fundamental point of view, the details of the interaction potential of adatoms both laterally and with the substrate are important for a better understanding of the nature of such interactions.