What does it mean for a surface to be "decorated"?

[schrodingerscat11]

In the context of surface science and materials science, what does it exactly mean when a surface is, say, "metal-decorated"?

By reading plenty of journals, I am assuming that it means that the atom is adsorbed on the surface, which means that the atom that "decorates" the surface is bonding on the surface atoms either by physisorption or chemisorption. This is in contrast with being absorbed, where the atom penetrates the surface. Am I correct?

Thanks for your help.

 

[ZapperZ]

In the context of surface science and materials science, what does it exactly mean when a surface is, say, "metal-decorated"?

By reading plenty of journals, I am assuming that it means that the atom is adsorbed on the surface, which means that the atom that "decorates" the surface is bonding on the surface atoms either by physisorption or chemisorption. This is in contrast with being absorbed, where the atom penetrates the surface. Am I correct?

Thanks for your help.

It would be helpful with something like that that you cite an actual paper that used that term.

Zz.

 

[M Quack]

Yes, decorated means that atoms or molecules are deposited on the surface.