Experimental implementation of third-order nonlinear infrared spectroelectrochemistry

Abstract

Infrared (IR) spectroelectrochemistry (SEC) is a field with both established and emerging techniques. This work presents a broadly applicable and extensively modular IR-SEC design that’s specialized for laser table experiments, but also functional on some tabletop spectrometers. This work demonstrates the electrochemical and spectroscopic viability of this cell in a transmissive FTIR spectrometer using Fe^(II\III) (CN)_6^(4-\3-) as a benchmark, and then realizes its laser table SEC experiment ability through pump-probe IR and two-dimensional (2D) IR SEC demonstrations with Fe_6^III (CN)_6^(3-) as an analyte. The SEC infrastructure works entirely as intended, although data presented here shows that additional care should be taken to reduce scattering when measuring weakly absorbing signals. The primary focus of this work is put into cataloguing minute details of the setup, maintenance, and standard operating procedures to facilitate future work.