Sum frequency generation imaging microscopy of CO on platinum.

Sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy is utilized as an imaging technique to distinguish and compare the local response of carbon monoxide (CO) covered platinum (Pt) polycrystalline surface versus the average response of the investigated area. The Pt electrode was prepared using the standard method and was exposed to approximately 1 atm of CO(g). SFG images and vibrational spectra were obtained where the contrast is based on the intrinsic nature of each peak in the CO vibrational spectrum. The illustration of the images and the chemical maps of CO on the platinum surface showed the distribution of the CO across the observed area. The results obtained by comparing the local and the average response confirmed the spatial distributions of the CO on the platinum sample which are due to several reasons such as dipole-dipole coupling and surface coverage. This finding has a significant contribution toward recognizing that surfaces usually considered homogeneous may in fact be quite heterogeneous.