Dynamics of Individual Atomic Kinks during Crystal Dissolution

The dynamics of kink motion via atom removal/deposition as a fundamental step in dissolution/crystallization of solids have become directly accessible by a novel scanning tunneling microscopy technique. Results obtained for the electrochemical dissolution of Cu(100) in HCl solution show pronounced local dissolution/redeposition fluctuations at the individual kinks even at the onset of Cu dissolution with average kink propagation and reaction rates in the range 10(3) and 10(5) atoms s(-1), respectively. These experiments allow one to directly measure the central kinetic properties of this electrochemical reaction.