Exploring structure dependencies of gas-surface interactions with curved single crystals

Curved single crystals provide variable, but well-defined surface structures. These curved surfaces have enormous potential for applications in surface chemistry, e.g. to unravel the role of specific sites in the reaction mechanism. Measurements can be repeated on the same crystal with incremental changes of the surface structure. Because effectsof sample heterogeneity are avoided, curved crystals make it possible to detect even subtle differences in surface reactivities and assign them to specific surface sites. They were used throughout this thesis to study the effects of surface structure onelemental chemical reaction steps, such as hydrogen dissociation and recombination, or water desorption.