Ultrafast voltammetry of adsorbed redox active dendrimers with nanometric resolution: an electrochemical microtome.

Megavolt-per-second cyclic voltammetry is used to control the expansion with time of a diffusion layer created within the redox outer shell of a fourth generation dendrimer molecule adsorbed onto an electrode; one quarter of the dendrimer is shown in the picture. This allows the measurement of the degree of communication between the ruthenium(II/III) bis(terpyridyl) ("LRuL") redox centers borne at the extremity of the dendrimer tethers, as well as the characterization of the shape of the adsorbed dendrimer molecule.