Recent calculations by Vorobev and Malyshenko (JETP Letters, 71, 39, 2000)
show that molecular hydrogen may stay liquid and superfluid in strong electric
fields of the order of 4×107V/cm. I demonstrate that strong local
electric fields of similar magnitude exist beneath a two-dimensional layer of
electrons localized in the image potential above the surface of solid hydrogen.
Even stronger local fields exist around charged particles (ions or electrons)
if surface or bulk of a solid hydrogen crystal is statically charged.
Measurements of the frequency shift of the 1→2 photoresonance transition
in the spectrum of two-dimensional layer of electrons above positively or
negatively charged solid hydrogen surface performed in the temperature range 7
- 13.8 K support the prediction of electric field induced surface melting. The
range of surface charge density necessary to stabilize the liquid phase of
molecular hydrogen at the temperature of superfluid transition is estimated.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure