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Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM)
The basic idea of SECM is the visualization of local electrochemical activity of a sample surface. To achieve this, a microelectrode is scanned over the sample surface in close proximity. The nearfield regime in SECM is about three to five times the diameter of the active area of the used microelectrode. Close to the surface, the microelectrode interacts with the surface depending on the surface properties. Microelectrodes with active electrode radii below 100 µm are chosen as tips because of their unique electrochemical properties. The most important electrochemical property of microelectrodes making them for SECM is the hemispherical diffusion field at a microelectrode assuring fast mass transport towards the microelectrode and a steady-state behaviour. The current measured at the microelectrode is modulated according to the electrochemical properties of the surface.
Microelectrochemical investigations to understand global surface properties
The detection scheme of scanning electrochemical microscopy bases on the positioning of an ultramicroelectrode (the SECM tip or probe) in close distance towards a sample surface. This miniaturized probe is moved stepwise in a user-defined grid over this sample. The corresponding electrochemical signal at the probe results from the interaction with the surface and a diagram of the tip signal versus the position visualizes the local activity distribution. Typically, the probe signal is a faradaic current which is modulated according to the particular properties of the examined surface. The resolution in SECM depends mainly on the used electrode size and nanoelectrodes are utilized for high-resolution experiments. As opposed to global electrochemical methods, SECM facilitates a locally resolved investigation of reactions rates and complements therefore global methods of analysis in almost all fields of electrochemistry.
Sensolytics designs and manufactures scanning electrochemical microscopes that suites your individual requirements. Therefore, we focus especially on customized instrument configurations and an extensive pre-sales support. All our SECM systems are upgradable and can be modified according to your actual demands. We would be happy to develop your individual SECM system with you.
