What aspects of this project do you find most exciting? The application of bonding analysis methods from molecular chemistry to extended systems (surfaces, solids) provides an important insight into the driving forces of surface chemistry.F or arather large molecule as cyclooctyne, these methods allow to distinguish which effects are caused by the functional group, the molecular ring strain, and the sheer size of the molecule. Furthermore, the well-known failure of many DFT functionals in describing dis-persive interactions and the consequential need for dispersion correction terms turns out to be am ajor advantage. The ability to switch these interactions on and off enabled us to gain insight on the influence of dispersion effects on energy and structure of ad-sorption states. Who designed the cover? The cover was designed by Aaron Beller,astudent of fine arts at the University of Marburg. He specializes in 3D computer graphics and enjoys the challenge of visualizing scientific results in aw ay that is appealing, yet faithful to the content. What other topics are you working on at the moment? Besides investigating the bonding of chemisorbed states for organic molecules on semiconductor surfaces, we are also modelling the adsorption dynamics leading to these states. As can be expected, the large size of cyclooctyne molecules presents new challenges for methodology and concepts. What future opportunities do you see in the light of the results presented in this paper? The way in which cyclooctyne binds to the silicon surface makes it an ideal candidate for the construction of organic/semiconductor interfaces. By adding further functional groups to the ring, one might be able to introduce capabilities to semiconductor devices that are currently limited to molecular or biological systems (e.g., molecular recognition) and enhance their application range. We are currently working on this goal with other groups in Marburg in the framework of the collaborative research centre SFB 1083. Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Ralf Tonner at the University of Marburg. Thei mage depicts the anchoring of cyclooctyne to aS i(001) surface. Read the full text of the article at
