This invention provides approaches to improve the signal to noise ratio (S/N)
in electrochemical measurements (e.g. amperometry, voltammetry, etc.). In particular,
a method is described wherein the faradaic current is temporally dissociated from
the charging current associated with reading the charge of a redox-active species
(e.g. a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)). This method, designated herein as open
circuit potential amperometry (OCPA), quantitatively reads the charge of the redox
species bound to (electrically coupled to) an electrode surface, while discriminating
against both charging current(s) and amperometric signal(s) that arise, e.g. from
diffusion-based species in solution.
