Unveiling the Elusive Low-Energy Vibrational Modes of Ice I Using Resonant Inelastic X-ray Spectroscopy

Ice I is the most abundant crystalline phase of water and plays a fundamental role in nature. Understanding its complex nuclear dynamics is crucial on its own and also provides critical insights into hydrogen bonding networks as well as water’s unique properties. Here, we present high-resolution oxygen K-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) of Ice I (H2O and D2O) measured using intense X-ray pulses from MAX IV. While previous RIXS studies on liquid and gas phase water were dominated mostly by OH stretching vibrations, we clearly identify multiple vibrational modes (OH stretch, HOH bend, librations, and their overtones and combinations) of ice I, including a libration mode (at 684 cm–1) that has not been clearly resolved previously using other methods. Tuning the excitation energy allowed detailed measurements based on variations in the potential energy surface of core-excited states and to resolve the pure HOH bending mode at 1730 cm–1 by suppressing interfering modes. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of H2O and D2O spectra confirmed characteristic phenomena arising from the isotope effects.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Published
2025-10-17
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.5c05638
Primary Topic
Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
Type
article
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article

Unveiling the Elusive Low-Energy Vibrational Modes of Ice I Using Resonant Inelastic X-ray Spectroscopy

Y.J. Han, Tobias Eklund, Katrin Amann‐Winkel, Anirudha Ghosh et al.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
article

Unveiling the Elusive Low-Energy Vibrational Modes of Ice I Using Resonant Inelastic X-ray Spectroscopy

Y.J. Han, Tobias Eklund, Katrin Amann‐Winkel, Anirudha Ghosh, Marjorie Ladd-Parada, Takashi Tokushima, Sangmin Jeong, Aigerim Karina, Maddalena Bin, Ludvig Kjellsson, Conny Såthe, Anders Nilsson, Mariia Filianina, Victor Ekholm, Robin Tyburski, Fivos Perakis, Kyung Hwan Kim, Myoungyoup Shin
article en

Abstract

Ice I is the most abundant crystalline phase of water and plays a fundamental role in nature. Understanding its complex nuclear dynamics is crucial on its own and also provides critical insights into hydrogen bonding networks as well as water’s unique properties. Here, we present high-resolution oxygen K-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) of Ice I (H2O and D2O) measured using intense X-ray pulses from MAX IV. While previous RIXS studies on liquid and gas phase water were dominated mostly by OH stretching vibrations, we clearly identify multiple vibrational modes (OH stretch, HOH bend, librations, and their overtones and combinations) of ice I, including a libration mode (at 684 cm–1) that has not been clearly resolved previously using other methods. Tuning the excitation energy allowed detailed measurements based on variations in the potential energy surface of core-excited states and to resolve the pure HOH bending mode at 1730 cm–1 by suppressing interfering modes. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis of H2O and D2O spectra confirmed characteristic phenomena arising from the isotope effects.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry CVol. 129(50)
Pohang University of Science and Technology (KR), Stockholm University (SE), Lund University (SE), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (DE), Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (DE), AlbaNova (SE), MAX IV Laboratory (SE), Institute for Physics (US), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 66%
Atmospheric Ozone and Climate
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