Physics

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Characterization (materials science)

Atom (system on chip)

Deposition (geology)

Atomic layer deposition

Biology

Catalysis

Embedded system

Paleontology

Chemistry

Materials science

Sediment

Layer (electronics)

Computer science

Atomic layer epitaxy

Metal

Quantum mechanics

Atomic units

ACS Catalysis

The atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique allows the synthesis of materials at the atomic scale to be controlled. ALD has been adapted to design and prepare single-atom catalysts (SACs) with atomic-level control. The major aim of this Review is to systematize our knowledge of the synthesis of SACs by ALD and thus help the reader to extract fundamental principles for the further development of this field. Studies of metal dimers prepared by ALD are also explored. In addition, we describe the fundamental mechanism of ALD, discuss the effects of size, shape, and metal–support interactions for catalysts, and summarize the characterization techniques and preparation methods of SACs. At the end of this Review, we present an outlook of the challenges and opportunities of the synthesis of SACs by ALD.

Single-Atom Catalysts Designed and Prepared by the Atomic Layer Deposition Technique