ESTM Study of Nanostructure and Surface Energetic Properties of Individual Chromium and Nickel

Yu. M. Stryuchkova and E. V. Kasatkin

Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry, Vorontsovo pole 10, Moscow, 105064 Russia

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Received July 29, 2008

Abstract — Individual chromium and nickel in air and at interfaces to 0.01 N HCl and 0.1 N H₂SO₄ solutions are studied with the use of electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (ESTM) and electrochemical scanning tunneling spectroscopy (ESTS) at the controlled potentials of the specimen and tip. The potential range of chromium specimens was 0.1 to 0.9 V in 0.01 N HCl and 0.3 to 1.1 V in 0.1 N H₂SO₄; the potential range of nickel was –0.01 to 0.64 V in 0.01 N HCl and 0.184 to 0.834 V (N.H.E.) in 0.1 N H₂SO₄. At the controlled potential, the surfaces in the studied acid solutions are smoother than in air. The potential of the specimen affects the electrophysical properties, which determine the electron tunneling transfer, more noticeably than the nanorelief of the metals. The obtained changes in the I_t,dZ spectra dependence on the distance in air on a field of 1 nm² at a step of 0.04 nm enabled us to estimate the effective barrier of tunneling K_ef between neighbor atoms, which is in good agreement with the known dependence of K_ef on the work function.