Vibrational states of a water molecule in a nano-cavity of beryl crystal lattice

Low-energy excitations of a single water molecule are studied when confined within a nano-size cavity formed by the ionic crystal lattice. Optical spectra are measured of manganese doped beryl single crystal Mn:Be3Al2Si6O18, that contains water molecules individually isolated in 0.51 nm diameter voids within the crystal lattice. Two types of orientation are distinguished: water-I molecules have their dipole moments aligned perpendicular to the c axis and dipole moments of water-II molecules are parallel to the c-axis. The optical conductivity σ(ν) and permittivity ɛ′(ν) spectra are recorded in terahertz and infrared ranges, at frequencies from several wavenumbers up to ν = 7000 cm−1, at temperatures 5–300 K and for two polarizations, when the electric vector E of the radiation is parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis. Comparative experiments on as-grown and on dehydrated samples allow to identify the spectra of σ(ν) and ɛ′(ν) caused exclusively by water molecules. In the infrared range, well-known inte...