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Fermi softness: a local perspective on surface reactivity

Understanding how electronic structure determines the reactivity of solid surface, is a central topic of modern surface science. This is mostly commonly done through some intermediate quantity termed descriptor. However, such descriptors are very scarce for solid surface compared to for molecule, likely due to their significantly more complex electronic structure (cf. molecules). Here we elaborate on the theory of a concept dubbed "Fermi softness", which distinguishes itself by enabling prediction of surface reactivity with spatial as well as atomic resolution. Other pertinent concepts and descriptors are also mentioned so as to make the treatment comprehensive.