Data from: A look inside a flexible open-source scanning electrochemical probe microscope

Scanning electrochemical probe microscopy (SEPM) maps and investigates the
chemical and physical properties of surfaces and interfaces using a micro-
or nanoscale electrochemical probe, e.g., a microelectrode or a
nanopipette, positioned close to an interface of interest. SEPMs share a
common general architecture but are distinct from each other through the
choice of probe and in the different physicochemical properties of the
sample that can be investigated, including, among others, interfacial
charge transfer rates, topography, permeability, or surface charge. Thus,
a single instrument, with an appropriately flexible control system, can
facilitate widespread access to the family of SEPM techniques - scanning
electrochemical microscopy (SECM), scanning ion conductance microscopy
(SICM), scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), the scanning
micropipette contact method (SMCM), and hybrid varieties of these
techniques. Herein, we describe in detail a flexible open-source SEPM
instrument that can perform common and widely applicable SEPM techniques
and experimenter-defined methodologies, with minimal programming from the
user. The instrument makes use of a field programmable gate array
(FPGA)-based data acquisition card, and this contribution further
illustrates the benefits of adopting FPGA architecture generally in
electrochemical instrumentation. We describe the software and hardware for
the instrument, using examples from the literature to illustrate how
common SEPM operation modes and hyphenated techniques are readily
implemented. Additionally, to demonstrate the application of
custom-developed scanning protocols, we briefly present some further
experimental examples. This Tutorial seeks to serve the needs of expert
users of SEPMs and encourage new entrants alike.  To this end, to
encourage those who are interested in either setting up their own
instruments or making optimal use of commercially available instruments,
we also briefly include some more basic and general information on SEPM
techniques and uses, to put the more advanced work and instrumental
aspects in context.