The atomic-scale phenomena at surfaces and interfaces influence, and often even dominate, the properties of materials and their functioning in nanoscale devices. This contribution discusses recent results of applying the surface science method, where systems are investigated under idealized conditions. Such experiments directly relate to first-principles calculations and provide insights into mechanisms and processes at a level that cannot be achieved in any other way. The review discusses

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... t developments with a main emphasis on metal oxides, a versatile and extremely useful class of materials.