Single Crystal Preparation for In Situ STM Measurements

Before each measurement, single crystals were first elec-trochemically polished35 and then flame annealed for several minutes, cooled down, and either immersed into an external electrochemical cell for cyclic voltammetry (CV) characterization or mounted into an electrochemical cell of an STM. For both CV and in situ STM results, sample potentials were measured and presented vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode. 

For instance, for in situ STM measurements with Au(lll) crystal, the crystal was contacted with the solution under potential control and images were recorded at a chosen potential. 

---