title: Quasi-ice monolayer on atomically smooth amorphous SiO2 at room temperature observed with a high-finesse optical resonator.
abstract: The structure of an H(2)O monolayer bound to atomically smooth hydroxylated amorphous silica is probed under ambient conditions by near-infrared evanescent-wave cavity ring-down absorption spectroscopy. Employing a miniature monolithic optical resonator, we find sharp (approximately 10 cm(-1)) and polarized (>10:1) vibration-combination bands for surface OH and adsorbed H(2)O, which reveal ordered species in distinct local environments. Indicating first-monolayer uniqueness, the absorption bands for adsorbed H(2)O show intensity saturation and line narrowing with completion of one monolayer. Formation of the ordered H(2)O monolayer likely arises from H bonding to a quasicrystalline surface OH network.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I M P
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Aarts
authors.forename: A C R
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pipino
authors.forename: J P M
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hoefnagels
authors.forename: W M M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Kessels
authors.forename: M C M
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: van de Sanden