Observation of New Short-Wavelength Collective Excitations in Heavy Water by Coherent Inelastic Neutron Scattering

J. Teixeira; M. C. Bellissent-Funel; S. H. Chen; B. Dorner

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.2681

Observation of New Short-Wavelength Collective Excitations in Heavy Water by Coherent Inelastic Neutron Scattering

J. Teixeira, M. C. Bellissent-Funel, S. H. Chen, and B. Dorner

Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 2681 – Published 24 June 1985

Abstract

A coherent-inelastic-neutron-scattering experiment was performed on liquid $D_{2}$ O at room temperature. We observe for the first time the collective high-frequency sound mode as predicted by computer molecular-dynamics simulations. We interpret the excitation to be a mode propagating within the hydrogen-bonded patches existing in liquid water, and distinct from the ordinary sound wave.