Book excerpt: Adsorption on Ordered Surfaces of Ionic Solids and Thin Films introduces to a new and topical field of surface science for which rather little experience is available at present. It reviews the recent results of the employed analytical methods comprising all modern surface techniques including scanning tunneling microscopy and various kinds of electron spectroscopies. The present status of this new, clearly defined field of surface science is nearly completely overviewed by contributions from most of the research groups active in this field. The book is meant as a basis for the expected rapid development in this area with applications in catalysis, thin-film and semiconductor technology, sensors, electrochemistry, controlled preparation of ultrathin epitaxial surfaces, and interfaces of insultors as well as future molecular electronics.