Title: surface ionization
Long Title: IUPAC Gold Book - surface ionization
DOI: 10.1351/goldbook.S06179
Status: current

Definition
Takes place when an atom or molecule is ionized when it interacts with a solid surface. ionization occurs only when the work function of the surface, the temperature of the surface, and the ionization energy of the atom or molecule have an appropriate relationship.

Related Terms
- ionization: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/I03183
- ionization energy: https://goldbook.iupac.org//terms/view/I03199

Source
- PAC, 1991, 63, 1541. 'Recommendations for nomenclature and symbolism for mass spectroscopy (including an appendix of terms used in vacuum technology). (Recommendations 1991)' on page 1548 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163101541)

Other Outputs
- html: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/S06179/html
- json: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/S06179/json
- xml: https://goldbook.iupac.org/terms/view/S06179/xml

Citation: Citation: 'surface ionization' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. 10.1351/goldbook.S06179
License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.
Collection: If you are interested in licensing the Gold Book for commercial use, please contact the IUPAC Executive Director at executivedirector@iupac.org .
Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.
Accessed: 2026-06-20T11:58:28+00:00