ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the anodic dissolution of various metals, which occurs only at step edges under electrochemical conditions. The layer-by-layer process of dissolution results in the formation of atomically flat terrace-step structures. The anodic dissolution of bare Ni, sulfur-modified Ni, bare Ag, iodine-modified Ag, iodine-modified Pd, Cu, Au, and Co is described in detail based on in situ scanning tunneling microscopy observations. It is reasonably expected that such an in situ method will become one of the most useful techniques for exposing well-defined surfaces of various metals in solution.
