Electrochemistry is the chemistry of electrons and charge transfer. For a molecular level understanding one would like to probe the dynamics of electron transfer at the electrochemical interface on all relevant time scale.  While conventional electrochemical characterization methods such as impedance spectroscopy are very useful in sampling “slow” dynamics, they are not fast enough for processes such as interfacial electron transfer or solvent reorganization. In this study a novel [more...]

Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) combined with highly stable scanning tunneling microscopy is a powerful tool to obtain local chemical information at surfaces with exceptional high spatial resolution. Here, we investigate the evolution of TERS at Angstrom-scale distances between tip and surface up to the point where tip apex touches the surface. A stable atomic point contact is reversibly formed in the junction between our plasmonic Ag tip and ultrathin ZnO films on a Ag(111) surface. A dramatic [more...]