Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T10:24:47.041Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

In-Situ Characterization of Oxide Films on Liquid Alkali Metals Using Second Harmonic Generation (SHG)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

H. Tostmann ,
D. Nattland  and
W. Freyland
H. Tostmann
Affiliation:
Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138
D. Nattland
Affiliation:
Institut für Physikalische Chemie und Elektrochemie, Universität Karlsruhe, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
W. Freyland
Affiliation:
Institut für Physikalische Chemie und Elektrochemie, Universität Karlsruhe, 76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
Get access

Abstract

The experiments described in this paper clearly show that Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) may be used as a sensitive tool for detecting oxide impurities at interfaces not accessible for usual surface characterization methods. As a striking feature, one peak in the temperature dependent SH intensity is observed for liquid potassium and five peaks for liquid cesium. The occurrence of these peaks cannot be understood in terms of the nonlinear optical properties of the pure metal. By varying the oxygen content present in the melt it can be shown that these peaks must be attributed to the presence of oxide impurities segregating at the interface. In addition it is shown that the presence of oxides at the interface inert sapphire - molten alkali metal significantly alters the structure of the sapphire surface finally leading to corrosion visible even by the eye.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 451: Symposium P – Electrochemical Synthesis and Modification , 1996 , 579
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Adamson, A.W., Physical Chemistry of Surfaces, 5th ed., (Wiley, New York, 1990).Google Scholar
2. March, N.H., Liquid Mêlais, Concepts and Theory, (The University Press, Cambridge, 1990).Google Scholar
3. Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Liquid and Amorphous Metals, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 1997.Google Scholar
4. Regan, M.J. et al, Phys. Rev. Lett 75, 2498 (1995).Google Scholar
5. Nattland, D., Heyer, H. and Freyland, W., Z. Phys.Chemie NF 149, 1 (1986).Google Scholar
6. Shen, Y.R., The Principles of Nonlinear Optics, (Wiley, New York, 1984).Google Scholar
7. Richmond, G.L., Robinson, J.M. and Shannon, V.L., Progr. Surf. Sc. 28, 1 (1988).Google Scholar
8. Tostmann, H., Nattland, D. and Freyland, W., J. Chem. Phys. 104, 8777 (1996).Google Scholar
9. Felderhof, B.U. et al., J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 1O, 1824 (1993).Google Scholar
10. Simon, A., J. Solid State Chem. 27, 87 (1979).Google Scholar