Solved and unsolved problems in surface structure determination

Abstract

The range of surface structural problems of interest in understanding the physics and chemistry of solid surfaces is reviewed with reference to the available methods and their strengths and limitations. Key challenges being addressed currently concern the achievable precision of measurements and their physical and chemical significance, and the complexity of the problems which may be solved. Past progress and future problems are illustrated with a series of examples ranging from the relaxation of simple clean metal surfaces through complex semiconductor reconstructions to large molecular adsorption and coadsorption systems and complex adsorbate-induced reconstructions. The strengths and limitations of scanning tunnelling microscopy as a complement to true quantitative structural methods are discussed, as is the role of chemical state specificity and elemental specificity in solving complex molecular adsorbate systems.