Note: Fixture for characterizing electrochemical devices in-operando in traditional vacuum systems

We describe a fixture that allows electrochemical devices to be studied under electrical bias in the type of vacuum systems commonly used in surface science. Three spring-loaded probes provide independent contacts for device operation and the characterization in vacuum or under in situ conditions with reactive gases. We document the robustness of the electrical contacts over large temperature changes and their reliability for conventional electrochemical measurements such as impedance spectroscopy. The optical access provided to the device enables the analysis by many techniques, as we demonstrate using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to measure local electrical potentials on a solid-oxide electrolyte device operating at high temperature in near-ambient pressure. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3479384]