Raman scattering measurements on floating water-bridge

It was observed that when polarized by an intense electric field, water is able to self-arrange into macroscopic cylindrical wires that can hang up and remain floating against gravity. This phenomenon is now known as a ‘water bridge’. Several attempts have been made to give an explanation of this apparently unusual behaviour of water. A number of experiments have been performed with the aim of probing any possible structural change of bulk water, after application of the electric field. None of the available findings appear conclusive at the moment. Here we report the results of the first Raman scattering experiment on floating water bridges. The inter-molecular OH-stretching band has been investigated and the results have been compared with those from bulk water. Some changes in the scattering profiles after application of the electric field are shown to have a structural origin. The bridges have been obtained, for the first time, in a vertical geometry and under application of an alternating field. The adopted geometry has allowed us to reveal a clear asymmetry between opposite direct current biasing, which can be related to the nature of the charge carriers.