Abstract

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is ideally suited to the study of the structure of both polar and nonpolar liquids.^1–2 Here we use THz-TDS to investigate the structure of water within inverse micelles. These nanometersized pools of water are surrounded by a surfactant, AOT, which serves to solubilize the aqueous phase in a hydrophobic solvent. The extent to which water in such a confined state resembles the bulk liquid is highly relevant in biochemistry³ and in recent studies of electron transfer dynamics.⁴ The H₂O/AOT system has been studied previously with use of such techniques as fluorescence probe spectroscopy³ and FTIR.⁵ THz-TDS complements these techniques, as it provides a direct measurement of the low frequency modes of the liquid.

© 1997 Optical Society of America