“…Recently, researchers have exploited near surface alloys (NSAs) as model alloy catalysts to gain molecular and atomic level information using ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) surface science experiments. − ,− PtRu NSAs can be prepared by depositing submonolayer amounts of Pt on Ru(0001) and subsequent annealing. ,,, The annealing temperature determines the surface structure: annealing to temperatures of ∼800 K leads to large, hexagonally shaped, pseudomorphic Pt islands of monolayer thickness [Pt/Ru(0001)], , while annealing at ∼1273 K causes the Pt to intermix with Ru. ,, For submonolayer amounts of deposited Pt, the intermixed Pt is located exclusively in the topmost surface layer [PtRu/Ru(0001)] , and is randomly and homogeneously distributed throughout the topmost layer. , The surface of the PtRu NSA following annealing to ∼1273 K is composed of extended terraces with a small amount of mixed PtRu islands. , STM images reveal that the concentration of defects such as step edges and kinks appears similar to those found on single crystal surfaces of Pt and Ru . Infrared studies comparing low temperature adsorption of CO on Pt/Ru(0001) annealed at 700 K to PtRu/Ru(0001) NSAs annealed at 1300 K have been conducted previously.…”