title: Interfacial structure of soft matter probed by SFG spectroscopy.
abstract: Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, an interface-specific technique in contrast to, for example, attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, which is only interface sensitive, has been employed to investigate the surface and interface structure of soft matter on a molecular scale. The experimental arrangement required to carry out SFG spectroscopy, with particular reference to soft matter, and the analytical methods developed to interpret the spectra are described. The elucidation of the interfacial structure of soft matter systems is an essential prerequisite in order to understand and eventually control the surface properties of these important functional materials.
authors.affiliation: Catalysis Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan. ye@cat.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Yujin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Davies
keywords: interfaces; soft matter; sum frequency generation; surface analysis; vibrational spectroscopy