Density and index of refraction of water ice films vapor deposited at low temperatures

The density of 0.5-3 mu m thick vapor-deposited films of water ice were measured by combined optical interferometry and microbalance techniques during deposition on an optically flat gold substrate from a capillary array gas source. The films were of high optical quality with an index of refraction of 1.29+/-0.01 at 435.8 nm, a density of 0.82+/-0.01 g/cm(3), and a porosity of 0.13+/-0.01. In contrast to previous studies, none of the measured properties exhibited any significant variation with growth rate or temperature over the range studied (0.6-2 nm/min, 20-140 K). (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.