Optical Studies of Thin Films of Cryocondensed Mixtures of Water and Admixture of Nitrogen and Argon

Materials (Basel). 2022 Oct 24;15(21):7441. doi: 10.3390/ma15217441.

Abstract

The interaction of host molecules with water molecules is of primary importance in astrophysical and atmospheric studies. Water-binding interactions continue to attract a broad interest in various fields, especially those related to the formation of assembly structures. Using the physical vapor deposition (PVD) method and a two-beam interferometer with a wavelength of 406 nm, the refractive indices of thin films of a water and nitrogen (argon) mixture were calculated in the range from 15 to 35 K. The results of temperature transformations of the obtained films from a two-beam interferometer, and thermal desorption characteristics from the temperature of condensation to the temperature of evaporation of water (15-180 K), are presented. The relationship between the signal of the interferometer, the refractive index, and the film thickness during glass transition is demonstrated.

Keywords: IR spectrometry; PVD; argon; cryocondensation; glass transition; nitrogen; supercooled thin films.