Quantum Behavior of Water Molecules Confined to Nanocavities in Gemstones.
When water is confined to nanocavities, its quantum mechanical behavior can be revealed by terahertz spectroscopy. We place H2O molecules in the nanopores of a beryl crystal lattice and observe a rich and highly anisotropic set of absorption lines in the terahertz spectral range. Two bands can be identified, which originate from translational and librational motions of the water molecule isolated within the cage; they correspond to the analogous broad bands in liquid water and ice. In the present case of well-defined and highly symmetric nanocavities, the observed fine structure can be explained by macroscopic tunneling of the H2O molecules within a six-fold potential caused by the interaction of the molecule with the cavity walls.
†A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Street 38, 119991 Moscow, Russia.|‡1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany.|§Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia.
Boris P
BP
Gorshunov
†A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov Street 38, 119991 Moscow, Russia.|‡1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany.|§Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia.
Elena S
ES
Zhukova
⊥Faculty of Physics, Southern Federal University, 344090 Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
Victor I
VI
Torgashev
§Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141700 Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia.|#Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, Moscow Region, Russia.
Vladimir V
VV
Lebedev
∥Kazan Physical-Technical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, 10/7 Sibirsky Trakt, 420029 Kazan, Russia.
Gil'man S
GS
Shakurov
∇Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
Reinhard K
RK
Kremer
¶Institute of Laser Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 13/3 Ac. Lavrentyev's Prosp., 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
Efim V
EV
Pestrjakov
◆Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Koptyug Strasse, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
Victor G
VG
Thomas
◆Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Koptyug Strasse, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
Dimitry A
DA
Fursenko
‡1. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany.
Martin
M
Dressel
confined water; nanocages; nanoporous material; quantum tunneling; terahertz spectroscopy; vibrational spectroscopy