ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the reaction of ultrathin silicate films toward typical gases present in the atmosphere. Chemical reactions on silica surfaces are important topics in many scientific disciplines and applications ranging from weathering and erosion to catalysis and sensors. The initial stages of gas/silica interaction and related fundamental questions can be investigated at the molecular level using structurally well-defined films. The chapter discusses adsorption of metal atoms on ultrathin films. Metal deposition is an important process in fabrication of electric junctions on silica in nanoelectronic devices. In principle, ultrathin silica films on metals are all prepared by oxidation at high temperatures. Since the silicate films are terminated by fully saturated siloxane bonds, hydrogen adsorption shows essentially no effect on surface structures.
