Polarization infrared spectroscopic study of the influence of external lateral electric fields up to 8 x 10(5) V m(-1) on the CO2-NaCl(100) adsorbate

Strong homogeneous electric fields up to 8 x 10(5) V m(-1) parallel to the NaCl(100) single crystal surface were applied to a monolayer of CO2 on NaCl (100) at 80 K. High voltages, up to 10 kV, between palladium electrodes dep osited on the NaCl(100) surface were employed. In addition, the adsorption process of CO2 in the field was observed. Sensitive high resolution polariz ation infrared surface spectroscopy (PIRSS) of the correlation field double t, indicating long-range ordering of the adsorbate, reveals no detectable e ffects on the orientational ordering. This is in agreement with our estimat es which compared the external lateral electric field with the surface elec tric field at the adsorption sites. These results are significant for an un derstanding of the role of adsorbates in the separation process of alkali h alides in electric fields. Strong effects on the line shapes of the CO2-NaC l(100) spectral bands were found after producing spontaneous discharges acr oss the surface at voltages higher than 10 kV. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.