| Low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy provides an unprecedented perspective into the atomic-scale chemistry and physics of surfaces. In this thesis, the advances in our understanding of a varied array of technologically relevant as well as fundamentally important surface properties are outlined and described. We have (1) gained insight into the role of promoter atoms in hydrodesulfurization catalysis, (2) determined the imaging mechanism for anisotropic electron scattering from point defects on graphite surfaces, (3) measured the vibrational spectra of isolated benzene molecules on Pt(111) and (4) determined the manner in which step edges control adsorption of molecules onto a cold surface. |
