Seminars Archive

Low-dimensional oxide structures on metal surfaces

Abstract
Oxide nanostructures in low dimensions on well-defined metal surfaces form novel hybrid systems with tremendous potential and impact in fundamental research and for the emerging nanotechnologies. In contrast to bulk materials low dimensional oxide nanostructures not only involve a large number of undercoordinated atoms, but their interaction with the metal substrate also provides constraints on their structure and morphology and often yields elastic strain and/or uncompensated charge. These factors modify significantly the physical and chemical properties of the nanophases with respect to bulk oxides. Here I will discuss the physico-chemical aspects of low-dimensional oxide structures, grown on metal single crystal surfaces, in terms of their novel structural concepts, their modified electronic behaviour and their sensitivity to changes in the chemical environment. A multitude of experimental techniques (STM, (SPA-)LEED, XPS, HREELS) in conjunction with DFT model calculations has been applied to characterise the oxide nanostructures deposited on flat and vicinal Pd and Rh substrate surfaces. The oxide materials considered comprise manganese, vanadium and nickel oxide phases.