Time Resolved in Situ Liquid Atomic Force Microscopy and Simultaneous Acoustic Impedance Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance Measurements: A Study of Zn Deposition

We have studied the deposition of Zn metal onto a polished gold-coated quartz crystal with in situ tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM), while simultaneously recording chronoamperometric and acoustic impedance quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. We are able to demonstrate good correlation between the three techniques. Modeling of the chronoamperometric data recorded for the initial nucleation process of the same experiment suggests that nucleation initially occurred via a progressive mechanism. Crystallites of different sizes were clearly visible from the AFM images throughout the whole deposition time monitored, suggesting that sustained nucleation also occurs via a progressive mechanism.