What is Surface Physics?
Surface Physics is a division of science that focuses on investigating surfaces of materials, such as metals or semiconductors to be adapted for industry. In particular, surface physicists investigate the structure and composition and bonding on surfaces, as well as how atoms and molecules absorb on the surface.

What is a Surface?
To accumulate a clear idea of an objects surface at an atomic scale one can readily compare it to the surface of the earth. When we touch a material we interact with its surface, when the surface is rough our skin feels little bumbs as we move across it. If the surface is flat, it feels smooth to our touch, however even the smoothest surface will have all kinds of wondrous features on an atomic scale.

A typical surface might consist of towering mountains and immense chasms millions of atoms deep. Across a sea of atoms reside islands protruding innocently above the atomscape while other features like man made objects on earth, such as the pyramids, are natural formed on certain surfaces.

Surfaces are by no means enclosing a static environment. Every atom in and beneath the surface is relentlessly vibrating in a cacophony with the billions upon billions of other atoms. When a material is heated the atoms vibrate more furiously until they break free and move around the solid (known as diffusion). Of course when the material id heated up to a high enough temperature the atoms will be so free that the solid will form a liquid.

The analysis of growth and diffusion of surface atoms of metals has been achieved only in the last 20 years through the development of many different surface sensitive techniques such as XPS, Auger, RHEED, LEED, LEIS, SEM and more recently STM. These techniques have allowed scientists to delve much deeper into atomic structure and surface properties. The outcomes of these studies have provided industry with new and improved devices due to the specific knowledge of each bimetallic system obtained through these techniques.