An introduction to solid surfaces

This chapter provides background on theory relating to the surface of a solid. The surface of a solid has a different structure from a slice through a bulk solid and has various types of imperfections that have a profound effect on how atoms and molecules interact with it. The chapter describes the structure of surfaces, the attachment of molecules to them, and some of the techniques used to study them. It also reviews how molecules are attached to the surface and how it is studied experimentally in order to understand the processes occurring on a solid. The chapter looks at the attachment of molecules to a surface and shows that this is influenced by structural features of the surface, including defects. The chapter draws on results from the kinetic theory of gases.