Apparatus for dosing liquid water in ultrahigh vacuum

Apparatus for dosing liquid water in ultrahigh vacuum

WoS Article

The structure of the solid-liquid interface often defines the function and performance of materials in applications. To study this interface at the atomic scale, we extended an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) surface-science chamber with an apparatus that allows bringing a surface in contact with ultrapure liquid water without exposure to air. In this process, a sample, typically a single crystal prepared and characterized in UHV, is transferred into a separate, small chamber. This chamber already contains a volume of ultrapure water ice. The ice is at cryogenic temperature, which reduces its vapor pressure to the UHV range. Upon warming, the ice melts and forms a liquid droplet, which is deposited on the sample. In test experiments, a rutile TiO2(110) single crystal exposed to liquid water showed unprecedented surface purity, as established by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. These results enabled us to separate the effect of pure water from the effect of low-level impurities present in the air. Other possible uses of the setup are discussed. (C) 2018 Author(s).

The structure of the solid-liquid interface often defines the function and performance of materials in applications. To study this interface at the atomic scale, we extended an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) surface-science chamber with an apparatus that allows bringing a surface in contact with ultrapure liquid water without exposure to air. In this process, a sample, typically a single crystal prepared and characterized in UHV, is transferred into a separate, small chamber. This chamber already contains a volume of ultrapure water ice. The ice is at cryogenic temperature, which reduces its vapor pressure to the UHV range. Upon warming, the ice melts and forms a liquid droplet, which is deposited on the sample. In test experiments, a rutile TiO2(110) single crystal exposed to liquid water showed unprecedented surface purity, as established by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. These results enabled us to separate the effect of pure water from the effect of low-level impurities present in the air. Other possible uses of the setup are discussed. (C) 2018 Author(s).

Vacuum apparatus; Mechanical instruments; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Surface science

Vacuum apparatus; Mechanical instruments; Scanning tunneling microscopy; Surface science

BALAJKA, J.; PAVELEC, J.; KOMORA, M.; SCHMID, M.; DIEBOLD, U.

2021

30.08.2018

AIP Publishing

MELVILLE

1089-7623

REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS

89

8

United States of America

1

6

6

https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.5046846

http://hdl.handle.net/11012/196363

1.5046846