Probing interfacial properties by optical second-harmonic generation

Optical second-harmonic generation from surfaces has recently proven to be a very effective and versatile probe for surface Studies. It allows, among other things, direct probing of molecular adsorption on a solid substrate from a liquid. In this paper we review the most important features of this new technique, We discuss the possibility of applying it to the study of adsorption of ionic surfactants at solid-liquid interfaces. commonly used in a great number of scientific and technological fields including industrial applications. Moreover, we describe the preliminary results of an experiment currently in progress. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.