Knowledge Bank

We have shown that the growth of the $(H2O)n$ clusters in He nanodroplets proceeds via the sequential addition of water molecules to the preformed $(H2O)n-1$ rings, follwed by ring insertion. However, if we add a small number of Ne atoms to the He nanodroplet before commencing the water cluster growth process, a polar water complex is formed, presumably because the Ne stifles this ring insertion mechanism. The spectroscopy and corresponding ab initio calculations of this polar complex will be discussed.