We present a comparative study of the excitations in bulk and liquid ${\mathrm{D}}_2$ confined within the pores of MCM-41. The material (Mobile Crystalline Material-41) is a silicate obtained by means of a template that yields a partially crystalline structure composed by arrays of nonintersecting hexagonal channels of controlled width having walls made of amorphous ${\mathrm{SiO}}_2$. Its porosity was characterized by means of adsorption isotherms and found to be composed by a regular array of pores having a narrow distribution of sizes with a most probable value of $2.45\mathrm{nm}$. The assessment of the precise location of the sample within the pores is carried out by means of pressure isotherms. The study was conducted at two pressures which correspond to pore fillings above the capillary condensation regime. Within the range of wave vectors where collective excitations can be followed up $(0.3⩽Q⩽3.0{\mathrm{\AA }}^{-1})$, we found confinement brings forward a large shortening of the excitation lifetimes that shifts the characteristic frequencies to higher energies. In addition, the coherent quasielastic scattering shows signatures of reduced diffusivity.

• Received 2 December 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.094206