High yield, single crystal ice via the Bridgman method

The surface chemistry of ice and of water is an important topic of study, especially given the role of ice and water in shaping the environment. Although snow, granular, and polycrystalline ice are often used in research, there are applications where large surface areas of a known crystallographic plane are required. For example, fundamental spectroscopy or scattering studies rely on large area samples of known crystalline orientation. In addition, due to its slower dynamics and decreased number of molecular configurations, ice can be viewed as a reduced complexity model for the complex hydrogen bonding environment found at the surface and within the bulk of liquid water. In our studies using Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, we have shown that each crystalline face has a unique spectral signature and therefore a unique chemistry and chemical activity. A reliable, reproducible, high performance method of producing large single crystal samples is needed to support this surface chemistry research. The design, construction, and use of a computer-controlled, ice-growth machine based on the Stockbarger modified Bridgeman technique is described. The instrument reliably produces relatively large single crystals that are optically flawless (that is, no visible flaws when viewed in a crossed polarizer), and in very high yield. Success rates of 95% are typical. Such performance has not been observed in the literature.