Experimental observation of quantum oscillation of surface chemical reactivities

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 May 29;104(22):9204-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0611024104. Epub 2007 May 21.

Abstract

Here we present direct observation of a quantum reactivity with respect to the amounts of O(2) adsorbed and the rates of surface oxidation as a function of film thickness on ultrathin (2-6 nm) Pb mesas by scanning tunneling microscopy. Simultaneous spectroscopic measurements on the electronic structures reveal a quantum oscillation that originates from quantum well states of the mesas, as a generalization of the Fabry-Pérot modes of confined electron waves. We expect the quantum reactivity to be a general phenomenon for most ultrathin metal films with broad implications, such as nanostructure tuning of surface reactivities and rational design of heterogeneous catalysts.