A new video-rate scanning tunnelling microscope for measurements at electrochemical interfaces

We report the development of a new, user-friendly scanning tunnelling microscope for in situ studies in electrochemical environment at video-rate image acquisition rates. The control electronics of the new instrument are largely based on a commercial SPM controller, interfaced with a custom-programmed FPGA-based setup and complemented with a home-built bipotentiostat and fast I–V converter. In addition, we developed a dedicated STM head with different scanners, including an unconventional dual-stack scanner. The system provides great flexibility in the applied scan pattern, which enables realisation of different scan modes, including spiral scanning. We demonstrate the capability of the instrument by proof-of-principle experiments on Cu(100) and Ag(100) electrodes in aqueous electrolyte solutions.