There is considerable interest, both fundamental and technological, in the way atoms and molecules interact with solid surfaces. Thus the description of heterogeneous catalysis and other surface reactions requires a detailed understand ing of molecule-surface interactions. The primary aim of this volume is to provide fairly broad coverage of atoms and molecules in interaction with a variety of solid surfaces at a level suitable for graduate students and research workers in condensed matter physics, chemical physics, and materials science. The book is intended for experimental workers with interests in basic theory and concepts and had its origins in a Spring College held at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Miramare, Trieste. Valuable background reading can be found in the graduate-Ievel introduction to the physics of solid surfaces by ZangwilI(1) and in the earlier works by Garcia Moliner and F1ores(2) and Somorjai.(3) For specifically molecule-surface interac tions, additional background can be found in Rhodin and Ertl(4) and March.(S) V. Bortolani N. H. March M. P. Tosi References 1. A. Zangwill, Physics at Surfaces, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1988). 2. F. Garcia-Moliner and F. Flores, Introduction to the Theory of Solid Surfaces, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1979). 3. G. A. Somorjai, Chemistry in Two Dimensions: Surfaces, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York (1981). 4. T. N. Rhodin and G. Erd, The Nature of the Surface Chemical Bond, North-Holland, Amsterdam (1979). 5. N. H. March, Chemical Bonds outside Metal Surfaces, Plenum Press, New York (1986).

Dynamics of Gas-Surface Scattering deals with the dynamics of scattering as inferred from known properties of gases and solids. This book discusses measurements of spatial distributions of scattered atomic and molecular streams, and of the energy and momentum which gas particles exchange at solid surfaces. It also considers two regimes of scattering, both of which are associated with a lower range of incident gas energies: the thermal and structure scattering regimes. Comprised of 10 chapters, this book opens with a brief historical overview of the early experiments that investigated the dynamics of scattering of gases by surfaces. The discussion then turns to some elements of the kinetic theory of gases; intermodular potentials and interaction regimes; and classical-mechanical lattice models used in gas-surface scattering theory. The applications of molecular beams to the study of gas-surface scattering phenomena are also described. The remaining chapters focus on experiments and theories on scattering of molecular streams by surfaces of solids, with emphasis on thermal and structure regimes of inelastic scattering; quantum theory of gas-surface scattering; and quantum mechanical scattering phenomena. This text concludes with an analysis of energy exchange processes that may occur when a solid surface is completely immersed in a still gas. This monograph will be a valuable resource for students and practitioners of physics, chemistry, and applied mathematics.

The interaction of gas-phase molecules with solid surfaces is of importance to heterogeneous catalysis, corrosion, air filtration, pollution control, and chemical deactivation. Our research group has recently obtained some of the first direct measurements of the probability for vibrational deactivation during gas-solid collisions. A pulsed infrared laser is used to excite CO of CO2 vibrationally under conditions where the predominant cause of deactivation is due to the gas-surface collision. The probability of relaxation is then monitored by observing the time-dependent decay of infrared fluorescence from the excited molecules. Results for CO2 (001) show that the deactivation probability is 0.22 for collisions with a stainless steel surface, 0.16 for silver, and 0.20 for nickel.

Fundamentals of Gas–Surface Interactions presents the study of the surface itself and the study of the gas phase partner of the interaction in which physical or chemical transformation of the gas resulted from that interaction. This book discusses the study of the energy and momentum exchanges resulting from the gas–solid physical interaction in which either gas or solid phase properties can be measured. Organized into three parts encompassing 33 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the different sensitive physical methods for the study of surface topography, surface defects, and surface irregularities to an accuracy of a few Angstroms. This text then reviews the adsorption at very low coverage that has yielded to equilibrium analysis. Other chapters consider the measurement of surface area by adsorption and optical techniques. The final chapter deals with scattering processes including momentum and energy transfer. This book is a valuable resource for engineers.