Generation of strong electric fields in an ice film capacitor

We present a capacitor-type device that can generate strong electrostatic field in condensed phase. The device comprises an ice film grown on a cold metal substrate in vacuum, and the film is charged by trapping Cs+ ions on the ice surface with thermodynamic surface energy. Electric field within the charged film was monitored through measuring the film voltage using a Kelvin work function probe and the vibrational Stark effect of acetonitrile using IR spectroscopy. These measurements show that the electric field can be increased to similar to 4 x 10(8) V m(-1), higher than that achievable by conventional metal plate capacitors. In addition, the present device may provide several advantages in studying the effects of electric field on molecules in condensed phase, such as the ability to control the sample composition and structure at molecular scale and the spectroscopic monitoring of the sample under electric field. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.