On-Surface Chemical Dynamics Elucidated by Supersonic Beam Scattering, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Imaging, and In...

Complex spatiotemporal correlations direct heterogeneous reactions spanning from the atomic- to meso-length scales with illustrations ranging from single-molecule adsorption to the oxidation of graphitic materials. Capturing the on-surface dynamics that underpin such processes benefits from spatially resolved and real-time in situ characterization of surface morphologies and adsorbed species, especially when paired with molecular scattering systems that provide tight control of incident molecular energy and approach geometry. Direct visualization shows that site-specific reactivity, correlated surface fluctuations, and structurally dependent reaction rates are interrelated to the on-surface fate of scattered species. Recent advances in neutral helium atom scattering are also presented as pathways for elucidating surface electron-phonon coupling dynamics. Overall, experiments presented herein represent a new direction for the interrogation of on-surface dynamics in which incident kinematics and energetics are tunable control parameters that influence time-evolving surface dynamics-and provide an incisive complement to traditional scattering experiments that monitor volatile products and scattered species.