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Scanning electrochemical microscopy

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-02-07
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a new scanning microscopy technique called intermittent contact SECM (IC-SECM) that can independently resolve substrate topography and surface activity using a simple and affordable method. It does not require additional equipment or control schemes and can be used with standard SECM tips. The technique also allows for the isolation of the ac component of the current, enhancing the electrochemical information content. This invention provides a reliable and flexible method for studying substrate structure and activity.

Problems solved by technology

Despite the tremendous impact of SECM in interfacial science, a significant—and generally unresolved—challenge concerns absolute tip positioning.
However, it can be difficult to find appropriate redox-active species that do not interact with the underlying system of interest when using two mediators.

Method used

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  • Scanning electrochemical microscopy
  • Scanning electrochemical microscopy
  • Scanning electrochemical microscopy

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0047]Embodiments of the invention involve the application of an oscillatory perturbation of typically 0.1 nm to 1 μm at typically 5 to 100 000 Hz to a SECM tip. The SECM tip may be a UME, for instance in the form of a metal wire A, with a radius of 0.002 to 12.5 μm, sealed in a glass capillary B relative, typically normal, to a surface of interest C. With this oscillation the amplitude of the oscillation becomes damped as the tip encounters the surface. The oscillation is typically sinusoidal, though other oscillation types can be used.

[0048]FIG. 1 shows a cross section of an UME and the oscillation of the UME. FIG. 2 shows the movement of the SECM tip when in bulk solution (i.e. not in contact with the surface). FIG. 3 shows the movement of the SECM tip when in intermittent contact with the substrate surface. Here, it can be seen that the uppermost half of the waveform, i.e. the parts above position 0, are substantially the same as for FIG. 2, however the lowermost half of the wav...

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Abstract

A new scanning electrochemical microscopy tip positioning method that allows topography and surface activity to be resolved independently is presented. A SECM tip is oscillated relative to the surface of interest. Changes in the oscillation amplitude, caused by the intermittent contact of the SECM tip with the surface of interest, are used to detect the surface of interest, and as a feedback signal for various types of imaging.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application is a national phase filing, under 35 U.S.C. §371(c), of International Application No. PCT / GB2011 / 050747, filed Apr. 14, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]This invention relates to scanning microscopy.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION [0003]Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is a scanned probe microscopy technique in which the electrochemical response of a SECM tip (typically an ultramicroelectrode (UME) with an active part of less than 25 μm) is used to provide information on the properties (e.g. topography or chemical activity) of a surface of interest (an interface, surface or phase) or for modification of a surface of interest (an interface, surface or phase). The SECM tip is immersed in a solution and used to detect chemical species (molecules or ions) which interact with the SECM tip or to generate chemical species (molecules or ions...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): G01Q60/60
CPCB22D19/14C23C26/02E21C35/183Y10T428/12937E21C2035/1809E21C2035/1813Y10T428/12965E21C2035/1806G01Q60/60E21C35/1833E21C35/1835E21C35/1831
Inventor UNWIN, PATRICKMCKELVEY, KIM MARTIN
Owner UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
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