title: Activation of diatomic molecules at solid surfaces.
abstract: The interaction of a diatomic molecule with a well-defined single crystal surface represents the prototype of the elementary processes involved in heterogeneous catalysis, and it can be studied down to atomic length and extremely short (fs) time-scales. Our present understanding is illustrated by examples concerning the activation of hydrogen (including also the breakdown of thermal equilibrium during rapid laser-induced associative desorption), the role of steps as 'active sites' in the dissociative adsorption of NO or N2, and the mechanism and kinetics of the catalytic oxidation of CO.
authors.affiliation: Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Faradayweg 4-6, 14195 Berlin, Germany. ertl@fhi-berlin.mpg.de
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ertl
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen