Surface chemistry

Application of a femtosecond spectroscopy technique to a copper surface has allowed the desorption of carbon monoxide molecules to be tracked with unprecedented detail.

In this view point article, Hrvoje Petek comments on the work of Ken-ichi Inoue et al. on the multidimensional nonequilibrium dynamics of CO as it desorbs from a Cu(100) surface.  He opens by saying that "it has long been a chemist’s dream to catch a chemical reaction in the act", with the aim "to observe and interfere with this process in mid-course and thereby control its outcome".

In their latest article, Jeremy Levy and his group put forward compelling experimental evidence of the role of surface chemistry on conductivity in complex oxides heterostructures. 

This work, published in Nature Communications on February 10, 2016 illustrates how the conductivity of the 2DEG layer in LAO/STO can be modulated using solvent immersion and illumination.