Electric quadrupole contribution to the nonresonant background of sum frequency generation at air/liquid interfaces

Mount for spectroscopic analysis of samples under sustained tensile stress

Spectroscopic methods offer valuable insights into the molecular and structural changes induced by stress, but existing techniques are often unable to perform real-time measurements during deformation. A novel solid open mount design is presented that enables spectroscopic investigations of materials under sustained tensile stress while maintaining crucial alignment of the optical system. The mount design allows for sample movement in response to applied strain while maintaining the position of the sample plane, ensuring consistent and reliable spectroscopic measurements. The effectiveness of the mount design is demonstrated with vibrational sum-frequency generation measurements of an elastomer, cured hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, and a plastic, high-density polyethylene, taken before, during, and after tensile deformation. The application of this mount to other spectroscopic techniques is discussed. The ability to collect spectroscopic data during a stress event would provide valuable insights into the behavior of stressed materials.

Manipulating ultrafast even-order nonlinear chiral responses of L-tryptophan by polarization pulse shaping

Molecular chirality has long been monitored in the frequency domain in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regimes. Recently developed time-domain approaches can detect time-dependent chiral dynamics by enhancing intrinsically weak chiral signals. Even-order nonlinear signals in chiral molecules have gained attention thanks to their existence in the electric dipole approximation, without relying on the weaker higher-order multipole interactions. We illustrate the optimization of temporal polarization pulse-shaping in various frequency ranges (infrared/optical and optical/X ray) to enhance chiral nonlinear signals. These signals can be recast as an overlap integral of matter and field pseudoscalars which contain the relevant chiral information. Simulations are carried out for second- and fourth-order nonlinear spectroscopies in L-tryptophan.

Diagrammatic theory of magnetic and quadrupolar contributions to sum-frequency generation in composite systems

Second-order nonlinear processes like Sum-Frequency Generation (SFG) are essentially defined in the electric dipolar approximation. However, when dealing with the SFG responses of bulk, big nanoparticles, highly symmetric objects, or chiral species, magnetic and quadrupolar contributions play a significant role in the process too. We extend the diagrammatic theory for linear and nonlinear optics to include these terms for single objects as well as for multipartite systems in interaction. Magnetic and quadrupolar quantities are introduced in the formalism as incoming fields, interaction intermediates, and sources of optical nonlinearity. New response functions and complex nonlinear processes are defined, and their symmetry properties are analyzed. This leads to a focus on several kinds of applications involving nanoscale coupled objects, symmetric molecular systems, and chiral materials, both in line with the existing literature and opening new possibilities for original complex systems.

Bulklike Vibrational Coupling of Surface Water Revealed by Sum-Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

Vibrational coupling between interfacial water molecules is important for energy dissipation after on-water chemistry, yet intensely debated. Here, we quantify the interfacial vibrational coupling strength through the linewidth of surface-specific vibrational spectra of the water's O─H (O─D) stretch region for neat H_{2}O/D_{2}O and their isotopic mixtures. The local-field-effect-corrected experimental SFG spectra reveal that the vibrational coupling between hydrogen-bonded interfacial water O─H groups is comparable to that in bulk water, despite the effective density reduction at the interface.

Quantification of Stern Layer Water Molecules, Total Potentials, and Energy Densities at Fused Silica:Water Interfaces for Adsorbed Alkali Chlorides, CTAB, PFOA, and PFAS

We have employed amplitude- and phase-resolved second-harmonic generation spectroscopy to investigate ion-specific effects of monovalent cations at the fused silica:water interface maintained under acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions. We find a negligible dependence of the total potential (as negative as -400 mV at pH 14), the second-order nonlinear susceptibility (as large as 1.5 × 10-21 m2 V-1 at pH 14), the number of Stern layer water molecules (1 × 1015 cm-2 at pH 5.8), and the energy associated with water alignment upon going from neutral to high pH (ca. -24 kJ mol-1 to -48 kJ mol-1 at pH 13 and 14, close to the cohesive energy of liquid water but smaller than that of ice) on chlorides of the alkali series (M+ = Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+). Attempts are presented to provide estimates for the molecular hyperpolarizability of the cations and anions in the Stern layer at high pH, which arrive at ca. 20-fold larger values for αtotal ions(2) = αM+(2) + αOH-(2) + αCl-(2) when compared to water's molecular hyperpolarizability estimate from theory and point to a sizable contribution of deprotonated silanol groups at high pH. In contrast to the alkali series, a pronounced dependence of the total potential and the second-order nonlinear susceptibility on monovalent cationic (cetrimonium bromide, CTAB) and anionic (perfluorooctanoic and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, PFOA and PFOS) surfactants was quantifiable. Our findings are consistent with a low surface coverage of the alkali cations and a high surface coverage of the surfactants. Moreover, they underscore the important contribution of Stern layer water molecules to the total potential and second-order nonlinear susceptibility. Finally, they demonstrate the applicability of heterodyne-detected second-harmonic generation spectroscopy for identifying perfluorinated acids at mineral:water interfaces.

Experimental and Theoretical Heterodyne-Detected Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy of Isotopically Pure and Diluted Water Surfaces

The χ⁽²⁾ (second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility) spectrum of the water surface has been a matter of debate for a few decades. Here, we report that we experimentally measured the isotopic dilution dependence of the χ⁽²⁾ spectrum and theoretically reproduced it by employing the quantum/classical mixed approach with a new idea to subtract an artifact. The present theoretical framework allows for clarifying the effects of the intramolecular, intermolecular, and Fermi resonance couplings on the OH-stretch vibrational spectra of water at the surface as well as in the bulk.

Vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy of thin film interfaces

We describe a basic theoretical treatment of how film-substrate and substrate-environment (air, water, and solution) interfaces can be selectively probed by controlling the film thickness and beam angles in a visible-infrared sum frequency generation experiment. In this model, we also account for the unique interfacial environment that may have optical properties that differ from the adjacent bulk phases. We see that this affects components of the electric field that are perpendicular to the surface such as when p-polarized light is used. We then provide an example using the glass-polydimethylsiloxane-air system and model the fields at both surfaces of the polymer. This is followed by some practical considerations for setting up such experiments and some typical experimental results.

Why local and non-local terms are essential for second harmonic generation simulation?

Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) today represents one of the most powerful techniques to selectively probe all types of interfaces. However, the origin of the SHG signal at a molecular level is still debated since the local dipole contribution, which is strongly correlated to the molecular orientation can be counterbalanced by non-local quadrupole contributions. Here, we propose a method to simulate the SHG signal of a model water/air interface from the molecular response of each contribution. This method includes both local and non-local terms, which are represented, respectively, by the dependency of the polarisability and hyperpolarisability upon the chemical environment of the molecule and by the bulk quadrupole response. The importance of both terms for the sound simulation of the SHG signals and their interpretation is assessed. We demonstrate that the sole dipole term is unable to simulate a SHG signal, even if the dependency of the hyperpolarisability on the local environment is considered. The inclusion of the bulk quadrupole contribution, which largely dominates the dipole contribution, is essential to predict the SHG response, although the accuracy of the prediction is increased when the dependency upon the local environment is considered.

Choose your own adventure: Picosecond or broadband vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy

Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy is a method capable of measuring chemical structure and dynamics within the interfacial region between two bulk phases. At the core of every experimental system is a laser source that influences the experimental capabilities of the VSFG spectrometer. In this article, we discuss the differences between VSFG spectrometers built with picosecond and broadband laser sources as it will impact everything from material costs, experimental build time, experimental capabilities, and more. A focus is placed on the accessibility of the two different SFG systems to newcomers in the SFG field and provides a resource for laboratories considering incorporating VSFG spectroscopy into their research programs. This Tutorial provides a model decision tree to aid newcomers when determining whether the picosecond or femtosecond laser system is sufficient for their research program and navigates through it for a few specific scenarios.

Bulk Response of Carboxylic Acid Solutions Observed with Surface Sum-Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

We study the molecular properties of aqueous acetic acid and formic acid solutions with heterodyne-detected vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy (HD-VSFG). For acid concentrations up to ∼5 M, we observe a strong increase of the responses of the acid hydroxyl and carbonyl stretch vibrations with increasing acid concentration due to an increase of the surface coverage by the acid molecules. At acid concentrations >5 M we observe first a saturation of these responses and then a decrease. For pure carboxylic acids we even observe a change of sign of the Im[χ⁽²⁾] response of the carbonyl vibration. The decrease of the response of the hydroxyl vibration and the decrease and sign change of the response of the carbonyl vibration indicate the formation of cyclic dimers, which only show a quadrupolar bulk response in the HD-VSFG spectrum because of their antiparallel conformation. We also find evidence for the presence of a quadrupolar response of the CH vibrations of the acid molecules.

Nanoscale Effects on the Surfactant Adsorption and Interface Charging in Hexadecane/Water Emulsions

Nanoscale properties at interfaces play a key role in the colloidal stability of emulsions and other soft matter materials where physical properties need to be controlled from the nano to macroscopically visible length scales. Our molecular level understanding of oil-water interfaces arises mostly from results at extended interfaces and the common view that emulsions are stabilized by a large number of surfactant molecules at the droplet's interface which, however, has been recently challenged. In this work, we show that the particle size and the curvature of oil droplets at the nanoscale is of great importance for the interface adsorption of dodecyl sulfate surfactants and possible counterion condensation at the charged hexadecane-water interface. Using second-harmonic scattering, we have studied the surface charge of oil droplets in nanoemulsions where we systematically varied the particle size R between 80 and 270 nm and demonstrate that the surface charge density σ changes drastically with size: For sizes >200 nm, σ is similar to what can be expected at flat extended interfaces, while σ is dramatically reduced by almost an order of magnitude when the particle size of the oil droplet is 80 nm. Using a theoretical approach that considers counterion condensation, we quantify the nanoscale effects on the change in surface charge with particle size and find excellent agreement with our experimental result. Modeling of the experimental results also implies that the charge per particle remains constant and depends on a critical balance of surfactant adsorption and ion condensation.

Deciphering second harmonic generation signals

Second harmonic generation (SHG) has emerged as one of the most powerful techniques used to selectively monitor surface dynamics and reactions for all types of interfaces as well as for imaging non-centrosymmetric structures, although the molecular origin of the SHG signal is still poorly understood. Here, we present a breakthrough approach to predict and interpret the SHG signal at the atomic level, which is freed from the hyperpolarisability concept and self-consistently considers the non-locality and the coupling with the environment. The direct ab initio method developed here shows that a bulk quadrupole contribution significantly overwhelms the interface dipole term in the purely interfacial induced second-order polarisation for water/air interfaces. The obtained simulated SHG responses are in unprecedented agreement with the experimental signal. This work not only paves the road for the prediction of SHG response from more complex interfaces of all types, but also suggests new insights in the interpretation of the SHG signal at a molecular level. In particular, it highlights the modest influence of the molecular orientation and the high significance of the bulk quadrupole contribution, which does not depend on the interface, in the total experimental response.

Second harmonic generation is one of the most powerful techniques used to selectively probe interfaces of all types. The direct ab initio method developed here allows predicting the signal and highlights the importance of local and non-local effects.

Direct Evidence for a Surface and Bulk Specific Response in the Sum-Frequency Generation Spectrum of the Water Bend Vibration

We study the bending mode of pure water and charged aqueous surfaces using heterodyne-detected vibrational sum-frequency generation spectroscopy. We observe a low (1626  cm^{-1}) and a high (1656  cm^{-1}) frequency component that can be unambiguously assigned to an interfacial dipole and a bulk quadrupolar response, respectively. We thus demonstrate that probing the bending mode provides structural and quantitative information on both the surface and the bulk.

Disentangling Sum-Frequency Generation Spectra of the Water Bending Mode at Charged Aqueous Interfaces

The origin of the sum-frequency generation (SFG) signal of the water bending mode has been controversially debated in the past decade. Unveiling the origin of the signal is essential, because different assignments lead to different views on the molecular structure of interfacial water. Here, we combine collinear heterodyne-detected SFG spectroscopy at the water-charged lipid interfaces with systematic variation of the salt concentration. The results show that the bending mode response is of a dipolar, rather than a quadrupolar, nature and allows us to disentangle the response of water in the Stern and the diffuse layers. While the diffuse layer response is identical for the oppositely charged surfaces, the Stern layer responses reflect interfacial hydrogen bonding. Our findings thus corroborate that the water bending mode signal is a suitable probe for the structure of interfacial water.

Progress in phase-sensitive sum frequency generation spectroscopy

Sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy is a unique and powerful tool for investigating surfaces and interfaces at the molecular level. Phase-sensitive SFG (PS-SFG) is an upgraded technique that can overcome the inherent drawbacks of conventional SFG. Here we review several methods of PS-SFG developed and reported in 1990-2020. We introduce how and by which group each PS-SFG method was designed and built in terms of interferometer implementation for optical heterodyne detection, with one exception of a recent numerical method that does not rely on interferometry. We also discuss how PS-SFG solved some typical problems for aqueous interfaces that were once left open by conventional SFG. These problems and their solutions are good examples to demonstrate why PS-SFG is essential. In addition, we briefly note a few terminology issues related with PS-SFG to avoid confusion.

A New Imaginary Term in the Second-Order Nonlinear Susceptibility from Charged Interfaces

Nonresonant second harmonic generation (SHG) phase and amplitude measurements obtained from the silica-water interface at varying pH values and an ionic strength of 0.5 M point to the existence of a nonlinear susceptibility term, which we call χ_X⁽³⁾, that is associated with a 90° phase shift. Including this contribution in a model for the total effective second-order nonlinear susceptibility produces reasonable point estimates for interfacial potentials and second-order nonlinear susceptibilities when χ_X⁽³⁾ ≈ 1.5χ_water⁽³⁾. A model without this term and containing only traditional χ⁽²⁾ and χ⁽³⁾ terms cannot recapitulate the experimental data. The new model also provides a demonstrated utility for distinguishing apparent differences in the second-order nonlinear susceptibility when the electrolyte is NaCl versus MgSO₄, pointing to the possibility of using heterodyne-detected SHG to investigate ion specificity in interfacial processes.

Revisiting the basic theory of sum-frequency generation

The basic theory of sum-frequency generation (SFG) is revisited. A rigorous derivation showing that linear optical transmission and reflection at an interface result from the interference of the incident wave and induced radiation wave in a medium is presented. The derivation is extended to SFG in a medium with a finite interface layer to see how SFG evolves. Detailed description on interface vs bulk and electric dipole (ED) vs electric quadrupole (EQ) contribution to SFG are provided with essentially no model dependence, putting the theory of SFG on a solid ground and removing possible existing confusions. Electric-quadrupole contributions to SFG from the interface and bulk are discussed. It is seen that there is a relevant bulk EQ contribution intrinsically inseparable in measurement from the interface ED contribution but plays a major role among all EQ contributions; its importance relative to the ED part can only be judged by referring to the established reference cases.

Resolving the Controversy over Dipole versus Quadrupole Mechanism of Bend Vibration of Water in Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation Spectra

Recently, there has been controversy over whether the HOH bend signal of water in the vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectrum arises from the conventional dipole mechanism or the quadrupole mechanism. Here, we show that the Im χ⁽²⁾ (the imaginary part of the second-order nonlinear susceptibility) spectra of the HOH bend mode of water at oppositely charged monolayer/water interfaces all exhibit positive bands, irrespective of the difference in the sign of the charge at the interface. Furthermore, it is found that the peak frequency of the HOH bend band substantially changes depending on the chemical structure of the charged headgroup located at the interface. These results demonstrate that the VSFG signal of the HOH bend vibration is generated from interfacial water with the interfacial quadrupole mechanism that is associated with the large field gradient of incident lights localized in a very thin region at the interface.

In situ observation of the potential-dependent structure of an electrolyte/electrode interface by heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation

HD-VSFG spectroscopy reveals the potential-dependent interfacial structure of an electrochemical interface at the molecular level.

How surface-specific is 2nd-order non-linear spectroscopy?

Surfaces and interfaces play important roles in many processes and reactions and are therefore intensively studied, often with the aim of obtaining molecular-level information from just the interfacial layer. Generally, only the first few molecular layers next to the interface are relevant for the surface processes. In the past decades, 2nd-order nonlinear spectroscopies including sum-frequency generation and second harmonic generation have developed into powerful tools for obtaining molecularly specific insights into the interfacial region. These approaches have contributed substantially to our understanding of a wide range of physical phenomena. However, along with their wide-ranging applications, it has been realized that the implied surface-specificity of these approaches may not always be warranted. Specifically, the bulk quadrupole contribution beyond the electric dipole-approximation for a system with a weak nonlinear interface signal, as well as the diffuse layer contribution at charged interfaces, could mask the surface information. In this perspective paper, we discuss the surface-specificity of 2nd-order nonlinear spectroscopy, especially considering these two contributions.

Neat Water-Vapor Interface: Proton Continuum and the Nonresonant Background

Whether the surface of neat water is "acidic" or "basic" remains an active and controversial field of research. Most of the experimental evidence supporting the preferential adsorption of H₃O⁺ ions stems from nonlinear optical spectroscopy methods typically carried out at extreme pH conditions (pH < 1). Here, we use vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) to target the "proton continuum", an unexplored frequency range characteristic of hydrated protons and hydroxide ions. The VSFS spectra of neat water show a broad and nonzero signal intensity between 1700 and 3000 cm^-1 in the three different polarization combinations examined. By comparing the SF response of water with that from dilute HCl and NaOH aqueous solutions, we conclude the intensity does not originate from either adsorbed H₃O⁺ or OH^- ions. Contributions from the nonresonant background are then critically considered by comparing the experimental results with many-body molecular dynamics (MB-MD) simulated spectra.

Surface Spectroscopic Signatures of Mechanical Deformation in High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) has been extensively studied, both as a model for semi-crystalline polymers and because of its own industrial utility. During cold drawing, crystalline regions of HDPE are known to break up and align with the direction of tensile load. Structural changes due to deformation should also manifest at the surface of the polymer, but until now, a detailed molecular understanding of how the surface responds to mechanical deformation has been lacking. This work establishes a precedent for using vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy to investigate changes in the molecular-level structure of the surface of HDPE after cold drawing. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to confirm that the observed surface behavior corresponds to the expected bulk response. Before tensile loading, the VSFG spectra indicate that there is significant variability in the surface structure and tilt of the methylene groups away from the surface normal. After deformation, the VSFG spectroscopic signatures are notably different. These changes suggest that hydrocarbon chains at the surface of visibly necked HDPE are aligned with the direction of loading, while the associated methylene groups are oriented with the local C_2v symmetry axis roughly parallel to the surface normal. Small amounts of unaltered material are also found at the surface of necked HDPE, with the relative amount of unaltered material decreasing as the amount of deformation increases. Aspects of the nonresonant SFG response in the transition zone between necked and undeformed polymer provide additional insight into the deformation process and may provide the first indication of mechanical deformation. Nonlinear surface spectroscopy can thus be used as a noninvasive and nondestructive tool to probe the stress history of a HPDE sample in situations where X-ray techniques are not available or not applicable. Vibrational sum-frequency generation thus has great potential as a platform for material state awareness (MSA) and should be considered as part of a broader suite of tools for such applications.

Proton Order toward the Surface of Ice Ih Revealed by Heterodyne-Detected Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

Using heterodyne-detected sum frequency generation (HD-SFG) spectroscopy, we investigated surface proton order at the basal, primary prism, and secondary prism faces of single-crystalline ice I_h at ca. 130 K. The complex phase of the obtained spectra clearly indicates that second-order nonlinear polarization from which the HD-SFG signal arises is generated exclusively at the surfaces. This suggests surface proton ordering along the normal, whereas the bulk remains proton-disordered, as is well known for ice I_h. A strong positive peak observed in the HD-SFG spectra enables us to determine the "direction" of the surface proton order as "H-up", that is, the hydrogen atom of the OH group pointing away from the bulk, irrespective of the ice faces. Reliable HD-SFG measurements carried out in the present study have greatly advanced our understanding of surface structure of ice I_h.

Ice Surfaces

Ice is a fundamental solid with important environmental, biological, geological, and extraterrestrial impact. The stable form of ice at atmospheric pressure is hexagonal ice, Ih. Despite its prevalence, Ih remains an enigmatic solid, in part due to challenges in preparing samples for fundamental studies. Surfaces of ice present even greater challenges. Recently developed methods for preparation of large single-crystal samples make it possible to reproducibly prepare any chosen face to address numerous fundamental questions. This review describes preparation methods along with results that firmly establish the connection between the macroscopic structure (observed in snowflakes, microcrystallites, or etch pits) and the molecular-level configuration (detected with X-ray or electron scattering techniques). Selected results of probing interactions at the ice surface, including growth from the melt, surface vibrations, and characterization of the quasi-liquid layer, are discussed.

Vibrational Coupling at the Topmost Surface of Water Revealed by Heterodyne-Detected Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy

Unraveling vibrational coupling is the key to consistently interpret vibrational spectra of complex molecular systems. The vibrational spectrum of the water surface heavily suffers from vibrational coupling, which hinders complete understanding of the molecular structure and dynamics of the water surface. Here we apply heterodyne-detected sum frequency generation spectroscopy to the water surface and accomplish the assignment of a weak vibrational band located at the lower energy side of the free OH stretch. We find that this band is due to a combination mode of the hydrogen-bonded OH stretch and a low-frequency intermolecular vibration, and this combination band appears in the surface vibrational spectrum through anharmonic vibrational coupling that takes place exclusively at the topmost surface.

Bend Vibration of Surface Water Investigated by Heterodyne-Detected Sum Frequency Generation and Theoretical Study: Dominant Role of Quadrupole

Heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy was applied to the water surface for measuring the imaginary part of second-order nonlinear susceptibility (Im χ((2))) spectrum in the bend frequency region for the first time. The observed Im χ((2)) spectrum shows an overall positive band around 1650 cm(-1), contradicting former theoretical predictions. We further found that the Im χ((2)) spectrum of NaI aqueous solution exhibits an even larger positive band, which is apparently contrary to the flip-flop orientation of surface water. These unexpected observations are elucidated by calculating quadrupole contributions beyond the conventional dipole approximation. It is indicated that the Im χ((2)) spectrum in the bend region has a large quadrupole contribution from the bulk water.

Surface sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy of nonpolar media

Sum-frequency generation spectroscopy is surface specific only if the bulk contribution to the signal is negligible. Negligible bulk contribution is, however, not necessarily true, even for media with inversion symmetry. The inevitable challenge is to find the surface spectrum in the presence of bulk contribution, part of which has been believed to be inseparable from the surface contribution. Here, we show that, for nonpolar media, it is possible to separately deduce surface and bulk spectra from combined phase-sensitive sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopic measurements in reflection and transmission. The study of benzene interfaces is presented as an example.

Anomalous effective polarity of an air/liquid-mixture interface: a heterodyne-detected electronic and vibrational sum frequency generation study

SFG reveals that the interfacial effective polarity of the air/liquid-mixture interface increases significantly when the bulk polarity of the mixture decreases.

Theoretical investigation of quadrupole contributions to surface sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy

We present a new method of calculating quadrupole contributions to surface sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy.

Evaluation of pH at Charged Lipid/Water Interfaces by Heterodyne-Detected Electronic Sum Frequency Generation

Although the interface pH at a biological membrane is important for biological processes at the membrane, there has been no systematic study to evaluate it. We apply novel interface-selective nonlinear spectroscopy to the evaluation of the pH at model biological membranes (lipid/water interfaces). It is clearly shown that the pH at the charged lipid/water interfaces is substantially deviated from the bulk pH. The pH at the lipid/water interface is higher than that in the bulk when the head group of the lipid is positively charged, whereas the pH at the lipid/water interface is lower when the lipid has a negatively charged head group.

Molecular dynamics simulations of liquid phase interfaces: understanding the structure of the glycerol/water-dodecane system

Modern spectroscopic techniques such as time-resolved second-harmonic-generation spectroscopy allow molecules to be examined selectively directly at phase interfaces. Two-phase systems formed by glycerol/water and alkane layers have previously been studied by time-resolved second-harmonic-generation spectroscopic measurements. In this molecular dynamics study, a triphenylmethane dye was inserted at the glycerol/water-alkane interface and was used as a probe for local properties such as viscosity. We now show how extensive simulations over a wide range of concentrations can be used to obtain a detailed view of the molecular structure at the glycerol/water-alkane interface. Glycerol is accumulated in a double layer adjacent to the alkane interface, which results in increased viscosity of the glycerol/water phase in the direct vicinity of the interface. We also show that conformational ensembles created by classical molecular-dynamics simulations can serve as input for QM/MM calculations, yielding further information such as transition dipoles, which can be compared with spectroscopic measurements.

Vibrational Sum Frequency Generation by the Quadrupolar Mechanism at the Nonpolar Benzene/Air Interface

The interface selectivity of vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy is explained under the dipole approximation as resulting from the breakdown of inversion symmetry at the interface. From this viewpoint, VSFG is not expected to occur at the interface consisting of centrosymmetric molecules, because the inversion symmetry is preserved even at the interface. In reality, however, VSFG at the nonpolar benzene/air interface has been observed with traditional homodyne-detected VSFG. Here we report a heterodyne-detected VSFG study of the benzene/air interface. The result strongly indicates that VSFG at this interface cannot be explained within the framework of the dipole approximation. The selection rule and polarization dependence of the observed VSFG signal show that the quadrupole transition plays an essential role because of the field discontinuity at the interface. This finding implies the applicability of interface-selective VSFG to the nonpolar interfaces comprising centrosymmetric molecules, which opens a new possibility of VSFG spectroscopy.