Structure studies of metal electrodes by in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy

With the invention of scanning tunneling microscopy, a structure-sensitive instrument was given to electrochemists, that made possible in-situ studies of electrode surfaces on an atomic scale and in real space. This has opened up new and direct routes to structure information of hitherto unprecedented quality. After a brief introduction to in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy, its potential for obtaining an atomistic insight into the structure of bare and adsorbate-covered sur faces as well as into simple electrochemical reactions will be demonstrated. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.