Ultrafast vibrational energy transfer between surface and bulk water at the air-water interface

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Mar 2;98(9):098302. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.098302. Epub 2007 Mar 1.

Abstract

We report a femtosecond time-resolved study of water at the neat water-air interface. The O-H stretch vibrational lifetime of hydrogen-bonded interfacial water is measured using surface-specific 4th-order nonlinear optical spectroscopy with femtosecond infrared pulses. The vibrational lifetime in the frequency range of 3200 to 3500 cm(-1) is found to closely resemble that of bulk water, indicating ultrafast exchange of vibrational energy between surface water molecules and those in the bulk.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Air*
  • Deuterium / chemistry
  • Energy Transfer*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Spectrophotometry
  • Surface Properties
  • Water / chemistry*
  • Water / metabolism

Substances

  • Water
  • Deuterium