Direct observation of terahertz surface modes in nanometer-sized liquid water pools - art. no. 147401

The far-infrared absorption spectrum of nanometer-sized water pools at the core of AOT micelles exhibits a pronounced resonance which is absent in bul k water. The amplitude and spectral position of this resonance are sensitiv e to the size of the confined water core. This resonance results from size- dependent modifications in the vibrational density of states, and thus has far-reaching implications for chemical processes which involve water seques tered within small cavities. These data represent the first study of the te rahertz dielectric properties of confined liquids.