A high pressure, high temperature, scanning tunneling microscope for in situ studies of catalysts

We describe the construction and operation of a novel scanning tunneling mi croscope, which is capable of operating throughout a wide range of pressure s (atmospheric-60 bar) and temperatures (300-650 K). The instrument has cyl indrical symmetry and is constructed out of materials with low thermal cond uctivity and low coefficients of thermal expansion that allows imaging the same area over a wide temperature range. With this microscope we present im ages of the oxidation of polycrystalline nickel. (C) 2000 American Institut e of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)02610-1].