Exotic nanostructures on metal surfaces

Today, in addition to widely studied nanoobjects, there are a number of less popular, but no less interesting, exotic nanostructures, which occupy an intermediate position in their physicochemical properties. The article considers the following exotic nanostructures formed in bimetallic systems: atomic superlattices, flat dendrites, finger-shaped protrusions, bound nanostructures embedded in the first layer of a substrate, as well as clusters formed under the surface at a depth of several atomic layers. Both experimental methods for obtaining such nanostructures and theoretical approaches to modeling their formation are discussed in detail. The physicochemical properties of exotic nanostructures and possible prospects for their technical application are also discussed.