Station_SolidLiquid_IntroEN

In June 2018, a new endstation was installed at the Swiss Light Source. Designed and assembled by Ferrovac GmbH, we introduced a unique endstation that combines ultra-high vacuum sample preparation with ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis.

The endstation can be operated at the In-situ Spectroscopy beamline for soft X-ray experiments (pressure up to 5 mbar). A unique feature of this setup is its capability to probe liquid-solid interfaces. Utilizing the dip and pull method, thin layers of electrolyte (10-30 nm) with potential control can be created and stabilized on top of a solid substrate. The buried solid-liquid interface is probed using tender x-rays, producing photoelectrons that can escape the thin liquid layer. Such experiments are performed at the Phoenix beamline at the SLS. Currently, we focus our research on well-defined metal oxides with rutile structure, such as TiO₂(110), RuO₂(110), IrO₂(110).

The endstation was commissioned in the 2018-2019 period. Currently, the endstation is fully operational, with restricted access for general users. Please contact Dr. Zbynek Novotny in case of questions.

Research areas

• Electrochemistry
• Corrosion science
• Heterogeneous catalysis
• Solar-driven water splitting
• Surface science

Funding

The endstation has been financed by R’Equip Grant No. 206021_170747 of the Swiss National Science Foundation and with matching funds from the University of Zurich, the Paul Scherrer Institute, and the ETH Zurich.