In this work, we introduce a surface science approach to supported metal catalyst preparation utilizing thin, single-crystalline oxide films as substrates. The use of thin oxide films allows for combined morphological and chemical characterization of the sample at various steps of a typical catalyst preparation procedure. A Fe3O4-supported Pd model catalyst was prepared by impregnation of (FeO4)-O-3(1 1 1) films with acidic PdCl2 solution, and the transformation of the adsorbed precursor into supported Pd nanoparticles by stepwise heating in vacuum was followed with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results provide evidence for homogeneous nucleation of Pd particles out of a monolayer of adsorbed precursor and an enhancement of the particle-support interaction with increasing annealing temperature. Chlorine, which remains on the model catalyst surface after vacuum annealing, could be removed by oxidation/reduction. This treatment also leads to particle sintering with an increase in the average particle diameter from 2 nm to 4 nm after oxidation/reduction. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.