7 research outputs found
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 H<sub>2</sub>O 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 H<sub>2</sub>O molecules within a six-fold potential
caused by the interaction of the molecule with the cavity walls