Sukhors'kyj Y. Atomic-Scale Investigations of Processes of Ionization and Desorption in High Electrostatic Fields

The dissertation is dedicated to the study of the ionization and desorption processes in high electrostatic fields, as well as of the field-induced effects on the energetics of adsorption including the impact of these effects on the surface reactions. A new original method of the electrostatic field determination at atomic distances to the metal surface has been elaborated. The continuous imaging mode of the lithium field desorption microscope (Li-FDM) has been realized for the first time. A new type of a metal-ion source namely lithium surface diffusion metal ion source has been elaborated. Such a source has been used in practice for the nanoscale modifications of metal surfaces using a scanning tunneling microscope. A modification of the catalytic surface reaction by lithium coadsorption is used in a developmernt of the automotive catalysts of a new generation.Region of an use: surface physics in high electrostatic fields, atomic scale surface manipulations, nanotechnology,vacuum microelectronics.