This proposal brings together an interdisciplinary group of investigators from the fields of surface physics, surface chemistry, materials science, and ceramics engineering to study fundamental properties of oxide surfaces and their interactions metal overlayers. This research is relevant to current and future technology. The spectrum of applications of oxide materials includes ceramic materials with desirable properties for wear or structural use, amorphous oxides for fiber optics and communications, chemical and biological sensors, composites, catalysts and the new high temperature superconducting materials. The goal of the research is to identify and understand the key surface properties that affect the adsorption, nucleation, and growth of metal overlayers on oxide surfaces. The major scientific emphasis will be on (1) metal overlayer formation on well characterized oxide surfaces, (2) metallization of a structural oxide, and (3) metallic adsorption and overlayer growth on amorphous oxides and silicates.
