Scanning tunneling microscopy under chemical reaction at solid-liquid and solid-gas interfaces

The task of bridging the pressure gap between ideal ultrahigh vacuum conditions and more realistic reaction conditions involving gas and liquid phases is crucial in surface and interfacial chemistry. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) has played a key role in addressing this challenge by enabling atomic-scale probing of the interface. STM enabled us to study surface structure, electronic structure, atomic manipulation, dynamics of molecules and atoms, and chemical properties of the surface at the atomic scale. Over the past four decades, the field of STM has undergone explosive growth. This review article focuses on recent advances in operando STM, specifically in the study of solid-liquid and solid-gas interfaces. It highlights the latest works in ambient-pressure STM, which has enabled the observation of atomic features under various gas and reaction conditions. This information sheds light on the surface mobility of adsorbates and atomic structures of reaction intermediates. The review also addresses research on electrochemical STM, which investigates the evolution of surface morphology under electrochemical processes and provides insights into atomic-scale reaction mechanisms. Finally, the article outlines future challenges and perspectives for operando STM techniques. Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.

Automated summary

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) plays a key role in studying surface and interfacial chemistry. Recent advances in operando STM techniques, specifically in solid-liquid and solid-gas interfaces, as well as electrochemical STM research, have provided insights into atomic features and reaction mechanisms under various conditions, with implications for future research.