Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• CHOE, H
• HONG, M.-H
• SEO, Y
• LEE, K
• KIM, G
• CHO, Y
• IHM, J
• JHE, W

Titel

Formation, manipulation, and elasticity measurement of a nanometric column of water molecules

Ist Teil von

• Physical review letters, 2005-10, Vol.95 (18), p.187801.1-187801.4, Article 187801

Ort / Verlag

Ridge, NY: American Physical Society

Erscheinungsjahr

2005

Quelle

American Physical Society Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Nanometer-sized columns of condensed water molecules are formed by an atomic-resolution force microscope operated in ambient conditions. An unusual stepwise decrease of the force gradient associated with the ultrathin water bridge in the tip-substrate gap is observed during its stretch, exhibiting regularity in step heights (approximately 0.5 N/m) and plateau lengths (approximately 1 nm). Such "quantized" elasticity is indicative of an atomic-scale stick slip at the tip-water interface. A thermodynamic-instability-induced rupture of the water meniscus (5 nm long and 2.6 nm wide) is also found. This work opens a high-resolution study of the structure and interface dynamics of a nanometric aqueous column.