This Presidential Young Investigator Award project is in the general area of analytical and surface chemistry and in the subfields of solid state chemistry and surface science. There are two major thrusts in this experimental program. The first focusses on the synthesis and characterization of low-dimensional inorganic materials. Of particular interest to this research is the development of an understanding of how the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of these materials are controlled by factors such as metal-metal coupling and solid state structure, as well as how these factors can be manipulated synthetically. The second research thrust centers on the use of scanning tunneling microscopy for the in situ study of surface adsorbates. Initial studies will focus on the structure and bonding of transition metal catalysts on metallic supports and the structures of important biological molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces. The research activities that are enabled by this Presidential Young Investigator Award could give rise to the discovery of strategies for the design and preparation of materials with predictable electrical, optical, and magnetic properties. Additionally, these studies should yield insights into the dynamics of interfacial processes that are of importance to catalysis and bioprocesses.
