High-resolution electrochemical and topographical imaging using batch-fabricated cantilever probes

New cantilever probes for combined scanning electrochemical microscopy-atomic force microscopy (SECM-AFM) have been batch-fabricated, and their application to high resolution electrochemical-topographical imaging has been demonstrated. The conical probes yield outstanding quality Faradaic current maps alongside subnm level topographical information as exemplified by the electrochemical imaging of exfoliated graphene and graphite samples. Current mapping reveals significant heterogeneities in the electroactivity of these carbon surfaces that do not directly correlate to topographical features, suggesting the presence of adsorbed chemical contaminants or intrinsic impurities.