Scanning tunnelling microscopy investigations of simple surface reactions on Rh(110)

The unique potential of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) as a tool for determining the elementary steps of surface catalytic reactions at an atomic scale is highlighted using selected representative results obtained in studies of adsorption and reactions on the Rh(110) surface. The Rh(110) surface was chosen as a prototype of a flexible catalyst, due to its propensity to reconstruct in the presence of adsorbates. Both dissociative adsorption of simple molecules and oxidation reactions involving adsorbed oxygen layers are considered. It was demonstrated that a combined approach where STM was used in conjunction with other experimental techniques and ab initio calculations yields a thorough description of the underlying reaction mechanism.